Suspected landguards shoot two over cassava farm

Two persons are in critical condition after they were allegedly shot and assaulted by suspected landguards during a violent confrontation over a cassava farm at Okurase, near Adeiso, in the Eastern Region.

According to the victims, who are natives of Awutu, the disputed land has been in their family for generations. They explained that their ancestors purchased a large tract of land at Okurase several decades ago, which has since been leased out to farmers under a traditional arrangement known locally as “Yɛ ma yɛn kyɛ” — where landowners receive a portion of the harvest in return for use of the land.

The victims told Adom News that their 92-year-old grandmother had leased about 10 acres of the family’s land to a farmer identified as Anum for cassava cultivation last year. When the crops were ready for harvest, she sent her grandchildren to collect the family’s agreed share.

However, the trip reportedly turned violent. The victims recounted that they were ambushed by a group of armed men allegedly hired by the farmer, led by a man known in the area as “Ninja.” The suspects reportedly attacked them in the bush, firing gunshots, spraying pepper into their eyes, and inflicting deep machete wounds.

One of the victims claimed he was struck in the eye with a gun, while another was shot in the head. They alleged that the attackers initially planned to kill them in a nearby forest but later decided to take them to the Adeiso Police Station instead.

The victims are currently receiving medical attention, while police investigations into the incident continue.

Meanwhile, the Mbratohene of Okurase, Nana Kumavi Amenyanu, has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to intervene swiftly to prevent further bloodshed.

He accused the group, led by the said “Ninja,” of terrorizing residents and forcefully taking over farmlands in the community. “If authorities fail to act, the people may be compelled to defend themselves,” Nana Amenyanu warned, urging the police to clamp down on the growing menace of landguard violence in the area.