‘Time for talks has expired’ – Kusaug youth movement chides gov’t on Bawku crisis

Group accuses state of bias, failed security response, and worsening military repression

The Kusaug Youth Movement (KYM) has strongly condemned what it describes as government silence and complicity in the escalating violence across the Kusaug Traditional Area, warning that growing frustration among residents may spark renewed instability.

In a statement dated November 7, 2025, and titled “Government Complicity in the Worsening Security Situation in Kusaug,” the youth group said the government’s handling of the Bawku conflict has eroded public trust and emboldened armed groups who continue to terrorize civilians.

“This is not only a betrayal of Kusaug but also morally reprehensible,” the statement said. “The people of Bawku and its environs are under military rule. There is no iota of any practice of democracy and rule of law in this part of the country.”

According to the KYM, military operations in Binduri and other parts of the Kusaug Traditional Area have been marked by bias and heavy-handedness, with security personnel allegedly protecting “bandits” while targeting innocent civilians.

“Whenever these attacks occur, the perpetrators move back to where the military is stationed, while the military charges on the Kusaasis who are the victims,” the group alleged.

The statement accused the military of widespread human rights violations, including shootings, detentions, and torture of unarmed residents in Bawku, Binduri, Basyonde, and Garu, saying the situation has created fear and resentment.

KYM said that instead of resolving the crisis, the government’s actions — including the curfew and ban on motorcycle riding — have crippled local economies and deepened hardship among already vulnerable communities.

“All schools and health centres are closed down because workers cannot go to their workplaces. Farm produce is left to rot because farmers cannot access their farms without military brutality,” the group said.

It described the situation as a “state-sponsored slaughter of Kusaas”, arguing that official inaction amounts to state endorsement of violence.

“A country with no security plans to bring peace except imposition of curfews is a hopeless state,” the statement added. “Government must immediately call the military to order and ensure that the rights and dignity of Kusaas are safeguarded.”

The KYM further rejected any rival claims to the Bawku chieftaincy, declaring that Zugraan Bawku Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II remains “the only legitimate and gazetted chief of Bawku.” It demanded the arrest of Seidu Bagre, described in the release as “illegal,” and called for the withdrawal of current military personnel from Binduri.

The movement also urged the government to lift the curfew, end the ban on motorcycle riding, and guarantee equal protection for all ethnic groups in the Kusaug area.

“Kusaas did not vote massively for this government to be discriminated against, brutalized, killed, and continue to live under curfews,” the statement said.

In a stern warning, the youth group said its patience had reached a breaking point.

“The youth of Kusaug will no longer tolerate complicity, hypocrisy, or any form of institutional betrayal,” it declared. “Be served that time for talks has expired — actions start.”

Copies of the statement were distributed to the President of Ghana, the Ministries of Defence and Interior, the Inspector General of Police, and international media organizations such as Al Jazeera, DW News, and France 24.