The victims, who had been displaced by the clashes in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and Bole districts of the Savannah Region, said they received information about possible fresh attacks.

Information available to JoyNews indicates that the returnees described their sources in Bole as “very reliable,” prompting them to make a sharp U-turn back to camp late last night using a tricycle.

A man who had remained in hiding in the bush around Chenkyere also ran to the camp after hearing the news. He spoke to JoyNews on grounds of anonymity.

“I was hiding in the bush around Chenkyere when I received the information that the people would be attacking Chenkyere and the small villages around, so I decided to run here,” he said.

Source: Isaac Nongya

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Speaking to JoyNews from their temporary shelter at the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba camp in the Savannah Region, several widows shared their harrowing stories of survival, having lost not only their homes and livelihoods but also their partners, who were their main source of support.

One of them, 52-year-old Yiriwelle Vien, the senior of three co-wives, now bears the weight of caring for 24 children after the brutal killing of their husband, 62-year-old Sansah Aasog, in the early hours of the bloody clashes in Gbampe, a suburb of the Bole District.

Trying to hold back tears, Madam Yiriwelle recounted how her husband’s compassion cost him his life.

“The day the conflict started, everybody ran into the bush, but one of my brothers-in-law was bedridden and was in the room. So my husband returned to be by him,” she recalled.

While hiding, they received devastating news. “We received bad news from home, and when we rushed back, we saw our husband lying dead in a pool of blood. But his indisposed brother was still alive,” she said softly.

When asked whether her husband had any disputes with those who attacked him, she firmly denied it.

“No, because he was one person who respected a lot and did not interfere in other people’s matters. I believe he was killed simply because of his sick brother,” she said.

Conflict Rooted in Land Dispute

The violence erupted on Saturday, August 23, 2025, following a disagreement between two residents over a ten-square-metre piece of land allegedly sold to both parties. The dispute was referred to the local chief, but his ruling reportedly angered one side, sparking clashes that quickly escalated.

By Sunday, August 24, the unrest had spread into the Bole District, leaving five people dead in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, several others with cutlass wounds, properties destroyed, and thousands displaced.

Life in Ruins

Madam Yiriwelle said her husband, who had no involvement in the dispute, was “wickedly sacrificed for a crime he knew nothing about.”

“I don’t even have an idea how to face life with all these people because apart from what we are wearing, we don’t have anything to call our own,” she said, visibly distressed.

Before the tragedy, their late husband was a commercial farmer, cultivating several hectares of cereals, tubers, and cashew, along with livestock. Now, all of that is beyond reach.

“Everything will be stolen or destroyed because we don’t even know how safe it is for us to go and take care of it,” she lamented.

The heartbreaking story of Madam Yiriwelle and her co-wives mirrors the reality of many widows in the region — women who are now left to fend for their families, some without even knowing whether their missing husbands are alive or dead.

For them, the conflict has not only taken lives but also stripped away their sense of security, leaving one haunting question: “How do we feed our families?”

Source: Isaac Nongya

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Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, September 6, Mr. Otoo emphasised that the conflict is a serious national issue that requires urgent attention.

“What is happening there? I think we need a committee of enquiry to do a very serious matter of national importance. People are dying, and as you rightly pointed out, refugees are being created left and right. Like others have said, it will affect food and production in the area,” he noted.

According to him, there is a need to secure the place to bring peace to the area by deploying the police to the grounds, adding that where the police struggled to contain the situation, the military should be deployed to restore calm.

“Whatever it is that is happening there, what far power do they have? Some single-barrel guns and arrests. So let’s move in and make sure that this thing is calm quickly. And then we set up a committee of inquiry to go into the matter. If they are chieftaincy and land issues, we deal with them once and for all,” he added.

On whether heavy security presence was still necessary given the mass displacement of residents, Mr Ayikoi Otoo maintained that it was vital for restoring confidence.

“Of course, if they are to stabilise the situation, why not? You have to bring calm to the area first. Give the people confidence that they can be protected by our security agencies. Then, even if you ask them to return, they can return, because some of them may have stories to tell if a committee is set up,” he noted.

Source: Myjoyonline

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• Abuakwa South MP supports Gbinyiri conflict victims

• Ntim Fordjour warns against politicising tribal conflicts amid Gbinyiri crisis

In a post on X, the Assin South MP expressed concern over renewed violence in Gbinyiri in the Savannah Region, where the death toll has reportedly reached 31, with about 48,000 people displaced.

“Gbinyiri conflict in Savannah Region: Death toll rises to 31 with 48,000 displaced. You see why it’s dangerous to politicise tribal conflicts? Now your own backyard is sadly in crisis. Let’s say NO to politicising tribal conflicts. Let’s all pray for calm in Gbinyiri and Bawku,” he wrote.

The lawmaker’s remarks come as Ghana continues to grapple with sporadic outbreaks of violence in northern communities.

In Bawku, for instance, long-standing ethnic tensions between the Kusasi and Mamprusi groups have flared repeatedly in recent years, resulting in significant loss of life and widespread displacement.

Gbinyiri’s crisis now adds to the growing humanitarian concerns in the north, stretching security forces and relief agencies.

Gbinyiri conflict in Savannah Region: Death toll rises to 31 with 48,000 displaced. You see why it’s dangerous to politicize tribal conflicts? Now your own backyard is sadly in crisis. Let’s say NO to politicizing tribal conflicts. Let’s all pray for calm in Gbinyiri and Bawku🙏🏽

— John Ntim Fordjour MP (@NtimFordjour) September 4, 2025

Rev. Ntim Fordjour emphasised that the priority should be peacebuilding and reconciliation, not political point-scoring.

He urged national leaders, traditional authorities, and citizens to unite in efforts to calm tensions and support displaced families.

“The lives at stake and the suffering of thousands should remind us that peace is the only path forward,” he stressed.

Source: Ohene Amponsah

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