COMMITTEE CONDEMNS BAWKU SHOOTING (BACK PAGE, OCT 8, 2010)

THE Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee (BIEPC) has condemned the latest shooting incident that occurred in the municipality last Sunday and described it as the work of isolated individuals, and calculated to disrupt the prevailing peace in the area.
The committee stated unequivocally that the shooting incident was not related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area.
On Sunday, October 4, 2010, three persons were arrested in connection with a shooting incident at Bawku and two AK 47 assault rifles, two G3 assault rifles, six empty AK 47 magazines, three G3 empty magazines, and half gallon Rangoon Oil for servicing the weapons were retrieved from them.
In a statement and signed by the co-chairmen of BIEPC, Mr Thomas Abilla and Alhaji Ibrahim Kobilla, and issued in Bolgatanga yesterday, the committee said, “Our investigation and contacts have revealed that the incident was in no way related to the conflict. It was totally a criminal act, the motive of which is yet to be established”.
The committee called on the people of Bawku to assist the security agencies in their work and not condone crime.
“People should be prepared to point out the criminals that are in our communities and fomenting troubles. The activities of those who do not want the area to have peace is not helpful but very detrimental to the development of the area,” the committee said.
The committee said it was determined and focused on working relentlessly to restore permanent peace in the area and would continue with the pacification rites it had started as part of measures to maintain the five-month truce.
It reminded the people of Bawku that nobody could bring peace to their area except themselves, and, therefore, appealed to all the people to show the maximum co-operation, trust, sincerity, tolerance and maturity in all their actions in order to contribute to the restoration of permanent peace in the area.
The committee commended the security personnel for the prompt action they took that led to the arrest of the suspects in the shooting incident.