Four courts in the Upper East Region, previously closed due to the escalating conflict in Bawku, have been reopened on the orders of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
The courts were initially directed to shut down on October 29 after judges and court staff raised concerns about their safety.
The closure affected the High Court, Circuit Court, and District Court in Bolgatanga, as well as the District Court in Bongo. However, areas like Bolgatanga, Zuarungu, and Bongo, which are located several kilometers away from the conflict zone, voiced dissatisfaction with the directive and promptly petitioned the Chief Justice for the reopening.
In response, a circular dated November 8 and signed by Judicial Service Secretary, Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng JA, confirmed the reopening of the courts, reversing the earlier closure notice.
After a period of relative calm, violence erupted again following the return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a rival chief who had been in exile since February 2023.
Abagre had previously fled Bawku due to an arrest warrant issued against him after his controversial installation as chief in Nalerigu.
However, a High Court ruling in Kumasi on October 17, 2024, annulled the warrant, enabling him to come back. His return on October 26 reignited the longstanding chieftaincy conflict, resulting in gunfire that claimed two lives and left several others injured.
The community is now grappling with heightened tensions and concerns over potential further violence.
In response to the unrest, a curfew from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm has been imposed, and security forces are actively enforcing these restrictions to help restore order.
About 21 people are believed to have been killed.
