A fresh outbreak of communal violence in Nkwanta South, Oti Region, has left 43-year-old Naomi Foligah fighting for her life in hospital, with two houses reduced to ashes.
The violence, which erupted late on Wednesday night (15 January) in Tuobodom, a sub-community in the municipality, has sparked renewed fears of instability, forcing some residents to flee their homes.
Foligah, who was shot while shielding her children from the violence, recounted the traumatic event from her hospital bed at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital. “I only tried to protect my children, and now I’m here, fighting for my life,” she said, visibly distressed.
The violence in Nkwanta South, often fueled by unresolved tribal disputes, has become an all-too-familiar occurrence. Despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in the municipality last year in an attempt to curb the unrest, tensions continue to simmer, resulting in widespread fear and disruption to daily life. Schools remain closed, government offices shuttered, and economic activities have ground to a halt.
While the exact trigger for Wednesday’s clashes remains unclear, security forces, including the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the Fire Service, were swiftly deployed to the area. Unfortunately, the fires had already engulfed the targeted homes by the time they arrived, and the damage was irreversible.
The Nkwanta Divisional Police Command has launched an investigation into the incident and is urging residents to remain calm. However, given the area’s history of communal clashes and the mounting casualties from previous conflicts, a lasting solution to the violence remains elusive.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the attack, the physical and emotional scars of the violence are deeply felt, with families left to rebuild and heal amidst ongoing tensions.