Curfew tightened up in Bole as gunshots disrupt Muslim prayers

Government has tightened up the curfew in the Bole township of the Savannah Region following the firing of gunshots to disrupt this year’s Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers Wednesday.

An 8:00pm to 5:00am curfew in the town and its environs has with immediate effect been pushed to 6:00pm to 6:00am, after two houses were burnt and another vandalised together with a vehicle.

It has also reinforced the total ban on carrying of arms, ammunition or any offensive weapon by any person in the area.

The dormant chieftaincy related violence was erupted Wednesday following the arrival of a feuding chief at the Muslim prayers to mark the end of Ramadan.

Gunshots were fired by some irate youth causing men, women and children to flee the prayer grounds on foot and motorbikes.

The youth were said to be preventing an alleged illegitimate chief from praying with the Imams of the town.

Our correspondent reported that the incident stemmed from a lingering chieftaincy dispute between Abdulai Issahaku Kant who is said to be the rightful claimant to the Bole skin, and Abudu Abubakar the favourite of the Yagbonwura.

The Northern Regional Police Command in confirming the incident to 3news.com said the rival chief, Alhaji Abukari Abudu whose return to Bole Tuesday sparked the violence, was rescued by police from his home to Damongo, where he has been since late 2018.

“The situation has been brought under control while police and military prepare to enforce the curfew,” a statement issued by the Police Wednesday said.

The Police have meanwhile asked the people of Bole are to eschew violence and allow peace to reign in the area.

“The security agencies will pursue and arrest any person or group who tries to take the law into their hands,” the statement concluded.



What we know

Abudu Abubakar who relocated to Damongo because of the dispute, returned to Bole Tuesday amidst high security to participate in the Eid prayers marking the end of the Ramadan, our correspondent reported.

The Savannah Regional Minister, Adam Salifu Braimah, met with the two feuding chiefs of the area who assured him of peace during the festive season.

Youth of the area were said to have received information about the return of Abubakar who they deem as illegitimate and consequently planned to disrupt his participation in the Wednesday morning prayers.

“Nobody knew how he got into Bole, that raised the tension” the Minister told 3news.com after the near-bloody incident.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that just when the prayers were about to begin, the youth arrived at the area and started firing shots, causing the military in to quickly move in amidst firing of gunshots from another angle.

As at this afternoon, Abudu Abubakar had returned to Damongo, but it is unclear whether he will return to Bole.

“It’s a tricky situation but it is also under control now. It’s not tensed… everything is under control now,” he told 3news.com.

But our correspondent reported this evening that the house of a former DCE for Bole, Abudu Sampson, who is now the Tingawura, has been vandalised.

Background

Late last year, a misunderstanding between the feuding chiefs of Bole led to the death of one person and several others injured.

That incident was said to have forced Abudu Abubakar, who was allegedly enskined by the Yagbonwura, to relocate to Damongo.

His rival, Abdulai Issahaku Kant, who is the favourite of the people, was declared by the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and a High Court as the rightful owner to the skin.

Abdulai Issahaku Kant was subsequently enskined as Bolewura.