Government deploys peace enforcement strategy in Bawku amid renewed clashes

The government has declared a decisive shift in its approach to the ongoing conflict in Bawku, announcing that the security operation in the area has moved from peacekeeping to peace enforcement. This follows renewed ethnic violence that left at least two people dead and several others injured over the weekend.

A press release issued from the Office of the President on Sunday, July 27, 2025, said the President has instructed security agencies to “take all necessary and lawful measures” to restore calm and order in the conflict-prone municipality.

“This operation is not a peacekeeping one. It is a peace enforcement operation, with the mandate to take reasonable steps – including lawful use of force – to stop the violence and restore law and order in the area,” the statement said.

The directive comes in the wake of a violent shootout between Kusasis and Mamprusis on Saturday, July 26. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly confrontations rooted in a long-standing chieftaincy dispute between the two ethnic groups.

While reiterating the government’s commitment to long-term peacebuilding and dialogue, the release stressed that “the security agencies have been instructed to act with the full force of the law in the discharge of their mandate.”

“All persons who take up arms and disturb the peace of Bawku and its environs will be dealt with decisively and prosecuted,” it warned.

Residents in the area have been urged to cooperate with security personnel and report individuals who are in possession of illegal arms or plotting to destabilize the peace.

“Residents are advised to cooperate with the security personnel. People who have information about anyone in possession of arms or fomenting trouble should report the same to the security personnel or call 999.”

According to the Office of the President, the government remains committed to upholding peace and stability across the country but will not tolerate lawlessness disguised as tradition or custom.

“No group should mistake government’s respect for cultural and traditional values as a justification for lawlessness,” the statement said.

Saturday’s incident, which has intensified tensions in the area, is part of a decades-old conflict over the Bawku chieftaincy.

Government, civil society, religious bodies, and the National Peace Council have seen limited success in brokering lasting peace. Though periods of calm have been achieved, outbreaks of violence continue to threaten lives and disrupt economic activity in the region.

Security agencies have since intensified their operations in Bawku and the surrounding areas. Joint patrols have been increased, checkpoints expanded, and intelligence gathering heightened. The current deployment is expected not only to quell the violence but also to lay the groundwork for restoring authority and the rule of law.

The Office of the President assured the public that while law enforcement will be firm, the government remains committed to dialogue and peacebuilding to permanently end the conflict.