CHOKOSI-KOKOMBA CONFLICT: NHIA officer busted for carting ammunition to Chereponi

Operatives from the Bureau of National Investigations, BNI have arrested a middle-aged officer of the northeast branch of the national health insurance scheme for transporting ammunition to Chereponi, the conflict-plagued zone after a peace deal.

The arrest was effected at about 6 o’clock Sunday evening after a tip off.

The culprit, Mohammed Dueshi was reported to have concealed ten boxes of cartridges under loaded goods in a metro mass transit vehicle bound for Chereponi from Tamale.

The confiscated items were reported to have been given a police escort but the police officer bolted when the BNI operatives stopped to insist on searching the bus with registration number GR 2026 U.

“We received intelligence of some contraband goods being conveyed to the conflict zone so we were compelled to act swiftly to pounce on the bus,” a member of the  BNI operatives said.

There has been simmering tension and clashes between the Kokomba and Chokosi tribes in the saboba district and which has lingered on for years over a parcel of land.

A fortnight ago, a high powered delegation comprising inter-party and ethnic representations led by the minister for defence, Dominic Nitiwul were in the district to broker peace between the feuding factions.

But the circumstances leading to the arrest of Mohammed Dueshi signals a concealed agenda by both tribes.

As a result, a 4pm to 6am curfew has been imposed on the area while stakeholders try to devise a lasting solution to the protracted conflict.

This is also not the first time a metro mass transit bus is involved in the transportation of such.

In January, a Jonkheere VDL Metro mass bus bound for Kpasa in the newly created Oti region was intercepted by police at Nkwanta to confiscate some unlicensed guns and amunition.

This resulted in the bus driver losing his job and the owner of the arms apprehended.