On Monday night, gunmen set fire to the official vehicle of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Binduri Constituency at the residence of the party’s Chairman, Samuel Ayaago, in Atuba, Binduri District.
According to eyewitnesses, between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM, three masked men on two motorbikes approached the chairman’s house, fired gunshots, and then doused the party’s Nissan Pickup with petrol before setting it ablaze. The vehicle, with registration number GX 4164 – 17, was reduced to ashes.
The motive behind the attack and the identity of the assailants are still unknown.
However, there have been recent threats circulating on social media targeting individuals in Binduri, Bawku Central, Zebilla, Garu, Tempane, and Pusiga constituencies, warning against displaying NPP symbols and support for the party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in the Kusaug traditional area.
The targeted vehicle featured images of Dr. Bawumia and NPP Parliamentary Candidate Abdulai Abanga, which may have made it a specific target of the attack.
On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, constituents of Binduri gathered at the party chairman’s residence to view the charred remains of the vehicle and to express their solidarity. They condemned the act as regrettable and unwarranted.
An anonymous resident suggested that the attack might be politically motivated, aimed at dissuading support for Abdulai Abanga and the NPP amidst the ongoing conflict in Bawku.
Abdulai Abanga, the Member of Parliament for Binduri and Deputy Minister for Local Government, visited the site and expressed faith in the police’s ability to identify and apprehend those responsible. He asserted that violence will not deter the people of Binduri from exercising their democratic rights.
Abanga urged party supporters to stay calm despite the intimidation and called for unity among NPP members and sympathizers aligned with Dr. Bawumia and himself.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident, but no further details have been made public as of yet.