Ghana has deployed soldiers to the troubled town of Bawku after gunmen killed three students over the weekend. The attack has intensified fears of escalating violence in the northern town near Burkina Faso’s border. Bawku has long suffered from a deep-rooted chieftaincy dispute and risks spillover from jihadist conflicts in the Sahel region.
Ghana’s Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the government is shifting from peacekeeping to peace enforcement in Bawku and other hotspots. The move follows reports that the students were ambushed deliberately near a local school, sparking outrage among residents.
Authorities imposed a curfew from 2 pm to 6 am to secure educational institutions and evacuate students safely. Ofosu assured the public that the Ghana Armed Forces will take all necessary steps to protect lives and property.
He urged all parties to avoid violence and support ongoing peace efforts in the region. The Bawku crisis revolves around a decades-old rivalry between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups over the chieftaincy seat.
Last year, Ghana sent an additional 1,000 troops and police after militants killed an immigration officer near the border. Bawku’s proximity to Burkina Faso exposes it to threats from Islamist militants who have displaced millions in the Sahel.
In recent months, Ghana’s military has intensified patrols along its northern border to prevent the spread of regional conflicts. The deployment underscores the fragile peace in Bawku and the urgent need to contain violence before it spirals further.
