The Bawku chapter of the Mamprugu Youth Association (MAYA) has condemned an ambush visited by some men on some passengers travelling on the Bawku-Pulimakom Road towards Togo’s popular commercial town of Cinkassé on September 20, 2023.
In a statement issued to the press, the association described the incident as a terrorist attack and called on state security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The deceased are six women and three men who were travelling in two separate buses to transact business at the Cinkasse market. Their bus was ambushed by community members of Aramongsana in the Pusiga District. We further urge the security agencies to immediately take steps to bring the perpetrators of this terrorist action to book to avoid an escalation of the situation.
“The perishing of nine innocent souls has the potential of leading to an escalation if the security fail to arrest the perpetrators to assure the families of the deceased and injured that justice is being done,” the statement said.
The association concluded its statement by expressing its sympathy to the bereaved families and wishing the passengers injured in the attack speedy recuperation.
The attack has been met with public disapproval from several entities including the Upper East Regional Peace Council (UERPC).
“These were innocent market women going to Cinkasse market. They were not armed. They were not combatants. And I believe they (the attackers) even knew that these were market women, because they have informants who inform them that a vehicle is coming.
“These are women, our wives, our sisters. People have become widowers by force. We are appealing to the two sides to stop these unnecessary killings. Killing is not helping us and it is not changing anything. We really condemn it,” the UERPC’s Chairman, Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, told newsmen.
Below is a full copy of the statement issued by the Mamprugu Youth Association:
MAMPRUGU YOUTH ASSOCIATION – BAWKU CHAPTER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 SEPTEMBER 2023
CONDEMNDATION OF AMBUSH AND KILLING OF 9 INNOCENT PERSONS (6 WOMEN, 3 MEN) BY KUSASI BANDITS
The Mamprugu Youth Association wishes to strongly condemn the ambushing and killing of 9 persons and injuring of several others who were traveling from Bawku township to Cinkasse market by Kusasi bandits in the Pusiga district. The deceased are 6 women and 3 men who were traveling in two separate busses to transact business at the Cinkasse market. Their bus was ambushed by community members of Aramongsana in the Pusiga district giving way to armed Kusasi bandits to attack the vehicles.
This sad incident which occurred on a day set aside by the United Nations to be commemorated as World Peace Day is an indication that these Kusasi bandits, acting under the express orders of their leader Aninchema Abugrago Azoka with protection of their kinsman Stephen Yakubu the Upper East Regional Minister, do not want peace to prevail in Bawku and its surrounding areas. Their action was carefully planned with the entire community of Aramongsana in the Pusiga district participating in the crime.
The mixed ethnicities of the deceased consisting of Mamprusi, Mossis, Dagombas, Fulani, and Yangas further exposes the true divisive and hate filled agenda of the Kusasis as not only fighting Mamprusis but any other tribe within the Bawku township. The killing of 6 women also exposes their cowardice.
We wish to draw the attention of Government, the media and Ghanaians to this barbaric action by the Kusasi bandits which can best be described as a terrorist attack. We further urge the security agencies to immediately take steps to bring the perpetrators of this terrorist action to book to avoid an escalation of the situation. The perishing of 9 innocent souls has the potential of leading to an escalation if the security fail to arrest the perpetrators to assure the families of the deceased and injured that justice is being done.
We send our deepest condolences to families of the deceased and wish the injured speedy recovery.
SIGNED
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
Cc:
ALL MEDIA HOUSES
Source: Inusah Batamiya/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org
