Govt beefs up security in Yendi in response to conflict threats by Abudus, Andanis
The government has put in place pragmatic measures to beef up security in the Yendi municipality to safeguard the peace and security of the area in the wake of reported threats of conflicts by the two feuding Dagbon Royal gates, the Andanis and the Abudus.
Advertisement
Currently, more military and police officers and logistics have been deployed to the area, while police and military patrols have also been intensified.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the outgoing Minister of the Interior, Mr Mark Woyongo, assured the public that security response in the whole Yendi municipality had been put on red alert and, therefore, there was no cause for alarm.
He said the Northern Regional Security Council was monitoring the situation with eagle’s eyes to ensure that nothing went wrong.
“They are also monitoring the situation to be able to advise the government on what to do at any given time, in accordance with the situation on the ground, to avoid any danger,” Mr Woyongo said.
Meanwhile, the Asantehene-led Committee of Eminent Chiefs instituted by the government, comprising the Yagbon Wura, Paramount Chief of Gonja, and the Nayire, Paramount Chief of Mamprugu, as members, to find a traditional way to resolve the conflict is yet to conclude its work and make recommendations.
Government committed
Mr Woyongo said in line with the government’s commitment to see peace restored between the two feuding royal gates, it would not relent on its effort in engaging all stakeholders on the road to peace.
He appealed to the three eminent chiefs to speed up work on the funeral arrangements and the road map for restoring peace in the area.
He said the government had appealed to the two chieftaincy gates to exercise restraint while the three eminent chiefs concluded their findings on the situation and make their recommendations towards restoring peace in the area.
“The eminent chiefs have gone far with their assignment but once they have not concluded, it is too early for the two chieftaincy gates to lose confidence in the committee,” he added.
Background
The Abudu Family is reported to have vowed to use force to occupy the Old Gbewaa Palace should the national authorities deny it access to the palace to perform the funeral rites of the late Naa Mahammudu Abdulai, the late Ya Naa.
The family is reported to have given the government an ultimatum ending yesterday,January 25, 2016 to renovate the palace in preparation for the final funeral rites of the late Naa Abdulai.
As a result, the members of the Andani Gate, also at a press conference last Saturday, swore to prevent the members of the Abudu Gate from carrying out their vow to occupy the place.
The Andanis are reported to have said they would never allow the final funeral rites of the late Naa Abdulai to be held in the Old Gbewaa Palace.
History overview
For 600 years the Abudu and the Andani clans, named after two sons of the ancient Dagbon king, Ya Naa Yakubu I, cordially rotated control of the kingdom centred at Yendi.
The late Ya Naa Yakubu Andani II ruled the kingdom of Dagbon from May 31, 1974 until he was killed at Yendi on March 27, 2002.
Various reports have established that the Andanis have consistently accused the Abudu Royal Family for killing Ya Naa Yakubu Andani II.
Since then, there have been occasional clashes between the two feuding royal gates, characterised by sporadic violence and killing of each other.
From January 2014, a regent has acted as senior of the kingdom until a new ruler is chosen to occupy the revered Lion Skins of Yendi.
A new ruler of Dagbon cannot be chosen until his predecessor is buried.
The burial of the king finally came off on Monday 10 April 2006 after a compromise had been reached between the Andanis and the Abudus concerning a successor.
The elder son (Zulu) of the king was enskinned as the Regent of Dagbon on 21 April, 2006 to manage the affairs of the kingdom until the final funeral rites when a new Ya Naa would be enskinned.
