KEY POINTS
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Gbenyiri conflict linked to latest Kalba killing.
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Police deployment of 400 officers has not eased fears.
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Residents say mistrust in the system is deepening.
A middle-aged man has been killed by unknown assailants near Kalba, a suburb of the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in Ghana’s Savannah Region, in what local leaders believe is the latest incident tied to the protracted Gbenyiri conflict.
Police said the victim, whose identity has not been released, had traveled from his community of Uro—where electricity is unavailable—to Kalba to charge his mobile phone. Gunmen reportedly emerged from nearby bushes and shot him off his motorcycle. He died instantly, and his body was later deposited at St. Anne’s Catholic Hospital in Damongo.
Gbenyiri conflict linked to fresh killing
The shooting is being viewed locally as part of the broader Gbenyiri conflict, a land and chieftaincy dispute that has torn through the region in recent months. The violence has claimed lives, destroyed property, and displaced more than 50,000 people, turning once-peaceful communities into conflict zones.
Tensions reignited on August 23 when a dispute between a Gbenyiri resident and the chief’s son over land escalated into clashes. By the following day, violence had spread to Kalba and surrounding towns, leaving scores injured and villages destabilized.
Security deployment yet to restore calm
Despite the deployment of 400 police officers to stabilize the area, incidents of violence continue. The Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohunu, alongside senior officials from the Armed Forces, Immigration Service, and Prisons Service, recently toured Kalba, Sawla, and other affected towns to assess the fragile security situation.
The renewed unrest has raised doubts about the effectiveness of the security presence. Residents say the perpetrators remain visible in towns despite assurances of protection.
According to MyJoyOnline, local frustration has grown as killings persist. “With this killing, who do you think will trust the system again?” one resident, who requested anonymity, told reporters. He said the presence of armed groups in Kalba has left many fearing for their lives.
“To me, this reaffirms the fears and mistrust in the system. The authorities need to do more than just talk and go,” he added, reflecting a sentiment shared by many in the conflict-ridden district.
