The Bono Regional Police Command, led by the Deputy Regional Commander and supported by operational personnel, on Saturday, 11th October 2025, conducted a 'Show of Force' exercise through the principal streets of Sampa to reassure residents of their safety and the presence of strong security in the area.

The operation, which began at 9:00 a.m. and ended around 10:30 a.m., covered major streets and routes within and around Sampa.

The visibility patrol aimed to demonstrate the readiness of the police to maintain law and order while fostering public confidence in security operations.

Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, Public Relations Officer for the Bono Regional Police Command, stated that the exercise was part of efforts to strengthen collaboration between the police and the community.

He further encouraged traders and market women to go about their activities without fear, assuring them that the police remain committed to their safety and the protection of lives and property across the region.

An explosive territorial dispute between two rival factions, the Sammordua and the Samgba Gyafla, had transformed the usually bustling Sampa Main Market into a temporary war zone on Sunday, 5 October 2025.

The violent tribal clash, characterised by intense gunfire and the deliberate burning of commercial properties, left eight police officers wounded and a service vehicle disabled, forcing the Bono Regional Police Command to deploy heavy reinforcements.

The initial distress call received by the Police Command reported a fierce exchange of fire and the subsequent torching of "several stores" within the market area, causing potentially hundreds of thousands of Ghana Cedis in commercial damages and destroying essential goods.

Read Also: Police vow arrests after 8 officers shot in Sampa tribal gunfight

Police Ambushed in Firefight

A rapid response team of police personnel was immediately dispatched to the scene, tasked not only with restoring order but also with securing the passage of a Ghana National Fire Service tender and an ambulance that was urgently transporting a pregnant woman to a local hospital.

However, the police team, riding in service vehicle GP 686, became the direct target of the heavily armed groups as they attempted to intervene.

The officers were caught in the intense crossfire, turning the peacekeeping mission into a desperate struggle for survival.

The patrol vehicle, a critical law enforcement asset, was effectively taken out of commission after veering into a ditch, leaving the officers vulnerable.