The Ghanaian government has deployed military forces to the town of Bawku in the north of the country after three students were killed on Saturday night by unidentified gunmen. The incident has reignited tensions in this border region with Burkina Faso, already marked by a longstanding ethnic conflict and the growing threat of jihadist violence spilling over from the Sahel.
According to Minister of Communication Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the government is shifting from a peace “maintenance” approach to one of peace “enforcement” in response to a worrying escalation of violence that threatens local reconciliation efforts.
The victims were reportedly killed in an ambush near a school, according to accounts from local residents. A military operation is currently underway to secure educational institutions. A curfew has been imposed from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in Bawku and the surrounding areas.
The town has long been the scene of a chieftaincy conflict between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups, a dispute that flares up periodically despite repeated mediation attempts.
In 2023, Ghana increased its security presence in the region following a deadly attack on immigration officers. Its neighbor Burkina Faso, plagued by an Islamist insurgency, continues to pose a risk of violence spilling into northern Ghana. In response, the Ghanaian army has stepped up border patrols in recent months.
Ghana: Military deployment in Bawku following the murder of three students
