Police in Bunkprugu in the North East Region have launched a manhunt for Melchizedek Babotin Musah and six others following a deadly escalation in the town's protracted chieftaincy dispute.

The renewed violence erupted on Saturday after Mr Musah was allegedly enskinned as a rival chief by members of the Jamong Family at a secluded location, despite a court injunction restraining the group from proceeding with the ceremony.

The development was followed by clashes between rival factions later in the day, leaving a woman dead and a soldier injured after gunmen reportedly opened fire on a military vehicle responding to the disturbance.

The injured soldier was rushed to a hospital in Bolgatanga for treatment.

The police say those behind the enskinment fled Bunkprugu shortly afterward and are now being pursued, the police said.

The incident marks a fresh and potentially dangerous escalation in the decades-old chieftaincy dispute between the Jamong and Jafouk families since 2016.

Enskinment despite injunction

The police had on September 9 secured an injunction against Nyanu Yogbat and six others, restraining them from going ahead with plans to enskin a rival chief.

The legal action followed an earlier attempt on August 18, which was halted after the North East Regional Security Council intervened to prevent the ceremony from taking place.

Despite the court order, members of the Jamong Family reportedly proceeded with the ceremony on Saturday at an undisclosed location, where Melchizedek Musah was allegedly installed as their chief.

The group reportedly left the area immediately after the ceremony.

Tensions escalated later in the evening when rival factions clashed, leading to gunfire and the death of a woman.

Security personnel who moved in to restore order also came under attack, with gunmen reportedly firing at a military vehicle.

One soldier sustained a gunshot wound in the attack and was subsequently evacuated to Bolgatanga for medical attention.

Long-running chieftaincy dispute

The latest violence is rooted in a long-running dispute over the Bunkprugu traditional leadership.

The Jamong Family has, following its victory at the National House of Chiefs, been pushing for the removal of the incumbent chief, Naa Abuba Nasinmong of the Jafouk Family.

The National House of Chiefs earlier this year ruled on the decades-old dispute, with the decision reportedly favouring the Jamong Family.

The House subsequently directed the family to engage the Mamprugu Overlord for the necessary traditional remedies.

Naa Abuba Nasinmong, however, appealed the decision.

The Nayiri, who is the enskinning authority, has reportedly reaffirmed his support for Naa Nasinmong, adding another layer to the dispute.

The competing claims over the traditional leadership have since generated tensions and repeated attempts by the rival factions to assert their positions.

Police launch manhunt

Speaking to JoyNews' North East Regional Correspondent, ASP Emmanuel Simtim confirmed that the police were actively searching for those allegedly behind the latest incident.

“We are now looking for them,” he said.

ASP Simtim added that investigations were ongoing to identify those responsible for the violence.

“Investigation is still ongoing to find out the culprits,” he said.

The police commander said calm had since returned to Bunkprugu and that the situation was under control.

However, the latest incident has raised fresh concerns about the potential for further violence if the competing claims to the Bunkprugu chieftaincy are not resolved through the appropriate legal and traditional processes.

The police added that they are continuing investigations into the alleged breach of the injunction, the reported rival enskinment, the death of the woman and the shooting of the soldier.