One person has been confirmed dead following violent clashes between the youth of Nkoranza in the Bono East Region and the police.
This comes after the irate youth as part of their protests against the alleged killing of Albert Akwasi Donkor attacked the Nkoranza Municipal Police Headquarters and freed some suspects in custody.
Earlier on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, the youth suspended its protest to give ear to counsel from the paramount Chief of Nkoranza, Nana Kwame Baffoe IV.
The Paramount Chief who appealed for calm promised the support of the traditional council for the quest to seek justice for Akwasi Donkor
The words of exhortation from the traditional ruler echoed the insecurity concerns of the youth and the larger population in Nkoranza.
“Even when I came today, my policeman I was a bit scared when I saw him with a gun because you are not sure who will pull the next trigger; who will fall the next victim. Nobody feels safe here,” Nana Baffoe revealed.
Tensions however escalated leading to the rampaging youth venting their spleen on the local police for their role in the death of the 28-year-old trader and footballer while in their custody.
At this point, nothing could calm the anger of the youth as they went berserk and destroyed everything in sight at the police headquarters including vehicles.
With nothing left to be destroyed, they turned their anger on the police and threw stones, clubs and whatever they could lay their hands on, at the officers.
Some of the irate youth also took over the streets and burnt tyres as they blocked portions of the main Ejura-Nkoranza road.
In the ensuing melee, the youth several of them of who wore hoods to conceal their identity threatened to vent their spleen on both journalists and onlookers who attempted to film their acts.
It however took a police reinforcement team from Techiman for the youth to be overpowered and dispersed from the ‘battle ground.’
The police faced resistance from the youth and had to fire teargas and bullets before calm was finally restored.
At least 9 persons who sustained gunshot wounds are receiving treatment at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Hospital in the area.
Rev. Father John Bremini an Administrator of the hospital told Accra-based Joy News “we have about nine people who have suffered various injuries; some have been sent to the theatre to be operated on. The second one is on the table that they are working.”
“I was told that one, the bullet penetrated through the stomach and they have to work on the intestines and the other one was through the legs so had bled for many hours and now at the theatre that they are working on.”
“The last one at the Emergency currently, there is a bullet in the chest. He was in a coma and so they have to do resuscitation; that has been done so we hope that very soon, we have to also take him as well to the theatre to be operated on as well.”
