Abudu’s call on government to maintain peace

The Abudu Royal Family has asked government and the security agencies to appeal to the Andani Royal Family, to as a matter of urgency, “rein in their hoodlums” to ensure peace at Yendi.

A statement issued by the Abudu Royal Family at Yendi on Friday, signed by Mr Alhassan Iddrisu, its Secretary and copied to Ghana News Agency in Tamale, expressed anger at the violent clashes witnessed at Yendi on Thursday (January 10) evening.

There were violent clashes at Yendi on Thursday evening leaving one dead and about three others injured.

The statement of the Abudu Royal Family said the Bolin Lana Abdulai Mahamadu, Regent of Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai (IV) “Is unhappy with this development particularly at a time the world is heaving a sigh of relief from the protracted disagreement between royal families of the same ancestry.”

It said the Bolin Lana Abdulai Mahamadu “Condemns yesterday’s incident unreservedly and calls on the people of Yendi and Dagbon to consider the perpetrators as the enemies of peace.”

“This single incident is sufficient indication of the intention of some bad nuts within the Kingdom to foment further troubles at Yendi and other parts of Dagbon.”

It warned that “The Abudu Royal Family, though committed to the ongoing peace process, will not sit aloof for our lives and property to be threatened and destroyed by the saboteurs and detractors of Dagbon and the ongoing peace process.”

“Any further report of violence of any sort aimed at members and sympathizers of the Abudu Royal Family will receive an equal, if not more in return.”

According to the Northern Regional Police Command, the incident happened when Sagnari Naa Yakubu Abdulai, Paramount Chief of Sagnarigu Traditional Area, and his entourage of about 20 fleet of buses and trucks arrived at Yendi and while driving towards the Gbewaa Palace, a section of the youth of Yendi hurled stones at them smashing windscreens of vehicles.

Other vehicles entering Yendi or leaving Yendi Township was stoned and windscreens smashed at Zohe suburb at the outskirts of Yendi on the Tamale- Yendi Road. The windscreen of a Police Navara pick-up No. GP 3840 was also smashed with a stone.

Two rooms in two separate houses were burnt. Iddrisu Abdulai, 50 years, of the Abudu Royal gate was shot in the hip while Abdallah Somed, 46 years, was also shot in the thigh. Both victims were rushed to the emergency ward of the Yendi Government Hospital for treatment.

One male adult was shot dead, and a house known as ‘Duayili’ at the old palace junction was burnt down whiles Abdulai Issah, 26 years, of the Andani Royal Family was slashed whiles riding on his motorbike and he sustained a deep cut at the back of his neck.

The Police and Military intervened swiftly to bring the situation under control as efforts were underway to apprehend the offenders.