N/R: Angry Salaga youth match to Police HQ; demand release of 7 suspects

Some angry youth in Salaga have besieged the municipal police headquarters to demand the release of seven suspects picked up in connection with yesterday’s violence in the area.

The Police command arrested seven persons over the burning of the East Gonja New Patriotic Party office as they disagree with the naming of Damango as the capital of newly created Savannah Region.

Angered by the naming of Damongo as the regional capital for Savannah, the youth of Salaga on the evening of Tuesday, February 12 torched the NPP constituency office, leaving various party documents and property destroyed.

This led to the arrest of the seven persons which 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 Salaga 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.
According to 3FM’s report, 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 matching to the police headquarters at about 8:09 am, and are currently standing few metres away throwing jabs at the police,” she reports.

But the Northern Regional Police PRO, DSP Yussif Tanko said 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”.

Read also: Salaga violence: Police arrests seven suspects