The arrest of seven persons over the burning of the East Gonja New Patriotic Party office in the newly created Savannah Region has heightened tension in Salaga as some angry youth have besieged the municipal police headquarters to demand the release of their fellows.
Angered by the naming of Damongo as the regional capital for Savannah, the youth of Salaga on evening of Tuesday February 12 torched the NPP constituency office, leaving various party documents and property destroyed.
Police in the area in the wee hours of Wednesday February 13 picked up seven persons as suspects in the violent incident but this appear to have incensed the youth the more as they massed up at the police headquarters demanding the release of the suspects who are yet to be screened.
The unarmed men are currently standing few metres away from the frontage of the municipal police headquarters and have issued a nine-hour ultimatum to the police to free their arrested colleagues or have the entire police headquarters building burned down.
Our correspondent Zubaida Ismail who has been monitoring developments in the area reports that the seven suspects have since their arrest been transferred to the Northern Regional Police headquarters, something she said the youth may be unaware of.
“The youth numbering about 50 started massing up at the police headquarters at about 8:09am, and are currently standing few metres away throwing jabs at the police,” she reports.
Police ready to avert attack
Northern Regional Police PRO, DSP Yussif Tanko told 3news.com the Police are monitoring the situation, and that “officers are positioned to prevent an attack on the police”.
On whether the suspects are going to be charged, he said it is early days yet as they have been picked up to assist in investigations into the violent action, saying “they’re just suspects who have been picked to assist investigations”.
The announcement of Damongo as the regional capital for Savannah Region Tuesday by President Nana Akufo-Addo triggered anger from the people of Salaga some of who stormed the NPP constituency office to burn down the place.
“The youth are saying Salaga is the only NPP seat in the whole of the Gonjalan hence the president should have made the town the regional capital for the Savannah Region as a reward for voting for the NPP” Zubaida Ismail reported.
Billboards within Salaga bearing photographs of President Nana Akufo-Addo have all been pulled down by the angry protesting youth who have threatened to storm the residence of the East Gonja Chief Executive to burn down the property tonight, 3news correspondent reported.
But the Police moved in quickly to avert that attack on the residency of the MCE, Mohammed Taminu, who was then in Accra attending the inauguration of the Savannah Region.
By 3news.com|Ghana