In the Volta Region, some youth of Alavanyo Dzogbedze has blocked all major roads in the town in protest over the killing of two of their peers in Sunday’s clash between a joint Police-Military force and the youth.
On Sunday (January 13 2019), some members of the joint Police-Military force allegedly shot into an angry crowd in Alavanyo Dzogbedze killing two and severely injuring six others.
According to reports, the bodies of the two deceased are still lying in the open, a development that has angered the youth.
The Volta Regional Police Commander DCOP Francis Doku who briefed the media on Monday said the incident started when the police received intelligence that some youth were massing up arms in the town which have been under curfew for some time now following a protracted chieftaincy dispute.
“Yesterday [Sunday] around 1:30 pm, the police got intelligence that some people were massing up arms in the Alavanyo area precisely, Dzogbedze Alavanyo. So we dispatched a team made up six to go and retrieve the illicit arms.â€
He said when the team got to Dzogbedze, the youth encircled the police and in a scuffle, they managed to snatch one AK-47 rifle and three handcuffs from the police officers.
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He said the youth hit the police officer, whose gun and handcuffs they took, with an object thus making him unconscious.
“In order not to create any further problems, the police retreated quietly back to Ho. On their way, they passed through the divisional headquarters in Hohoe and made a formal complaint. When they left, the Kpando divisional commander felt that he needed to report the incident to the military command operating in the area.
On receipt of the information and looking at the security threat that the incident poses, the military command decided to get to Dzogbedze to negotiate with the chief for the release of the weapon and handcuffs.â€
According to DCOP Doku, while the negotiation was ongoing, the youth disconnected electricity supply to the town and also started firing gunshots towards the direction of the military.
The military team he said decided to retreat to their base to forestall further troubles.
“While on their way, on the outskirts of town, there were gunshots coming from the forest towards their direction, and they were compelled to repel the attack. So the cross shooting went on for some time and they left. Later on, we had information that two people had fallen and six were injured.â€DCOP Doku said.
The Volta Regional Police Commander said the bodies of those who died including those injured were sent to the Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital in Kpando while investigation proceeds.
“The police visited the scene; the bodies have been taken to Margaret Marquart hospital at Kpando. The six of them who sustained gunshot wounds are receiving treatment at the same hospital. We are going to have a meeting with the leadership of the town to find out exactly what happened,†he added.