Daboya: Settler farmers flee town over possible attacks by indigenes
Settler farmers living around Alhassan-Kura and its adjoining communities in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region have begun fleeing their homes for fear of being attacked by indigenes of the area.
The exodus started on Monday, March 17, with women and children carrying their belongings across the White Volta River towards Tolon in the Northern Region.
As of Tuesday, March 18, their male counterparts are also moving towards Tamale.
Wasipewura Mumuni Anyanme Kabsagya I
According to Myjoyonline checks, this development has been triggered by an ongoing court case over land ownership between two paramount chiefs—one from Tolon in the Northern Region and the other from Wasipe in the Savannah Region.
Until now, the settler farmers had lived peacefully with their hosts, engaging in agricultural activities for the past eight years.
They reside in communities such as Kpendo, Gbanderi, Alhassan-Kura, Dari Salam, and Kupotor, among others.
Our news team visited the district today, March 18, and spoke with both farmers and indigenes.
“We are here purposely to farm and take care of our family but last year, the area people came and warned us to leave their Land after harvesting and not to farm again but we thought that was all only for them to come again four days ago insisting that we leave or they force us out,” Yakubu Alhassan stated.
Mandeya Mbala added, “The people said Major Sulemana cannot be fighting them in court over their land while we continue farming on the same land, so we should leave.”
Seidu Mbowura explained that they are not seeking conflict, stating, “We only told them to go back to where they came from. Once the court case is resolved, or if the Tolon chief acknowledges us as the rightful owners of the land and withdraws the case to engage us in determining the boundaries, then they can return to continue farming because they are our brothers and sisters.”
Mbowura also expressed concerns about the situation, noting that most of the farmers, who are predominantly Dagombas, have named the communities after their ethnic identities.
Sources in Daboya indicate that the local youth have lost faith in both the Wasipe Palace and the police, taking matters into their own hands by directing the farmers to leave.
Meanwhile, both the police and the Wasipe authorities are yet to officially respond to the situation.
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