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Naa Alhaji Abuba Nasinmong, Paramount Chief of Bunkpurugu, has reiterated his call for expedited action on the case challenging his authority as the legitimate chief of the area.

He expressed his readiness to accept the verdict of the Northern Regional House of Chief (NRHC) on the case saying a speedy resolution would ensure peace in the traditional area.

Naa Alhaji Nasinmong was speaking on Saturday when the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr John Kudalor led a team of security chiefs to his palace at Bunkpurugu to ascertain the causes of the conflict in the area and what measures to put in place to arrest it.

The IGP’s delegation comprised Major General Opoku-Adusei, Chief of Army Staff, Deputy IGP in-charge of Operations, Commissioner of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Ken Yeboah, Northern Regional Police Commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Kwabiah, Commanding Officer of the Sixth Infantry Battalion, and Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku, Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council and Secretary of the Northern Regional Security Council.

This followed the renewed clashes between the Jafoak Family and the Jamong Family at Bunkpurugu last week Wednesday over the chieftaincy crisis in the area leading to the killing of three persons and burning of more than 30 houses.

The Police have so far arrested one person in connection with the killing in the latest clashes, which drove many away from the town while most shops remained closed.

The Jamong Family has refused to recognise the authority of Naa Alhaji Nasinmong, who is from the Jafoak Family, as the legitimate Chief of Bunkpurugu, and has filed a case challenging his legitimacy at the NRHC.

The Bunkpurugu chieftaincy crisis is not a case of communities or tribes fighting against one another but rather two brothers of the same family laying claims to the same skin, with the younger one from the Jamong Family contesting his older brother.

Naa Alhaji Nasinmong said 13 people had so far died in the chieftaincy crisis, which began over eight years ago, when he was enskinned Chief of the area in 2007 by Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami Sheriga, Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area.

He decried the senseless killings in the area and gave authorities two weeks to come out with their verdict on the case to bring lasting peace to Bunkpurugu.

Mr Elisha Thomas, Spokesperson of the Jamong Family, which is challenging the authority of the Chief of Bunkpurugu, appealed to authorities to prevail on the two feuding families to submit to the performance of blood burial to bring peace to the area.

Blood burial is a traditional ceremony where feuding factions come together to publicly slaughter animals and bury them to signify an end to a conflict and whoever engages in conflict after the blood burial is believed to be haunted by spirits.

Mr Elisha said life had become difficult at Bunkpurugu as residents could not roam freely in the area or go to work in their farms.

Mr Kudalor did not mince words about the toll the conflict was taking on the resources of the state and told the feuding factions to embrace peace as the security agencies worked to maintain law and order in the area.

Major General Opoku-Adusei said the Ghana Armed Forces would be fair and firm in support of peace in the area and charged the Chief of Bunkpurugu to work to ensure everlasting peace in the area.

He said there is no room for conflict in this election year as efforts are being made to ensure successful elections.