The death toll in the explosion at the Hamile border town of the Upper West Region and the subsequent clashes have risen to four.
The explosion involved suspected smugglers and officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) that has left four people dead and several injured.
Those who died in the Tuesday incident at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border, are two immigration officers and two suspected smugglers.
Initial reports indicated the incident started when the immigration officers saw three suspected smugglers moving contraband through an unauthorised route toward Burkina Faso.
The suspects were two teenagers on a sand-laden tricycle and an elderly man on a motorcycle in front of them, allegedly acting as a guide.
Officers reportedly chased the suspects, who allegedly fired shots at them during the chase.
An explosion then occurred when the gunfire hit objects thought to be explosives in the tricycle.
The two teenagers and one of the immigration officers died on the spot in the explosion, while another officer who sustained critical injuries was rushed to the Nandom Hospital but died later, reports Sahada Dramani from the Upper West Region.
The elderly man also sustained serious injuries and was receiving medical care at the hospital.
Retaliatory strike
The incident reportedly resulted in further violence as some aggrieved youth in the community allegedly attacked immigration officers in retaliation for the deaths. The officers allegedly shot back during the confrontation, leaving about 10 people injured.
The injured persons were rushed to Nandom Hospital for treatment.
The development has increased tension in the border community as reports say groups of youth gathered in parts of Hamile to protest the deaths. According to reports, the military has been deployed to the area to restore order and prevent further violence.
Meanwhile, investigations have been launched to establish the circumstances of the explosion, the nature of the suspected explosive materials involved, and the events that led to the deaths and the subsequent clashes. Community leaders and other stakeholders are also engaging residents to calm tensions and restore normalcy.
The government has imposed a curfew on Hamile township and its surrounding communities in the Lambussie District of the Upper West Region. The curfew, which takes immediate effect, runs from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
