6 sustain brutal machete wounds as attempts to destool Abetifihene turns violent

Six persons have sustained life-threatening knife wounds in a violent clash at Abetifi in the Kwawu Municipality of the Eastern Region.

The chaos erupted after unknown armed men took Akyemfour Asiedu Agyemang III, the acting Kwawuhene and Abetifihene, hostage on Thursday.

In an attempt to stop the suspected kidnappers from leaving the town, a group of angry residents mounted a roadblock.

Reports indicate that Obaapanyin Yaa Asantewaa, who claims to be the Abrewatia of the Kwawu area, brought the armed men to the town to assist her in destooling the chief.

The men, initially thought to be National Security operatives, escorted her to the Abetifi Palace, where they detained Asiedu Agyemang III.

Yaa Asantewaa and the armed men then led Akyemfour Agyemang III to an old palace nearby, where she performed traditional rites with a sheep aimed at destooling him.

This act of destoolment angered the youth, who viewed it as an insult to their chief.

The townfolk quickly gathered, with many young people wielding cutlasses and expressing their displeasure.

The police swiftly intervened to avoid further escalation. The police also arrested the armed men.

Meanwhile, the traditional leaders at Abetifi have reaffirmed Akyemfour Asiedu Agyemang III as chief by performing rites to revoke the destoolment.

In a reprisal attack, the youth removed the clothes of Yaa Asantewaa and escorted her naked to the police station.

The police have since commenced an investigation to determine the root cause of the clashes.