2024 Nyankpala election violence: Youth group petitions authorities over slow probe

Some concerned residents of Nyankpala in the Tolon District of the Northern Region have petitioned state authorities to expedite investigations into violence that occurred on December 7, 2024, which resulted in the death of Shaibu Haruna, popularly known as Alhaji, and left several others injured.

The group said it acknowledges that the Ghana Police Service has indicated that investigations are ongoing and that there have been engagements between authorities and stakeholders since the incident.

However, it said its concern has to do with the pace of the investigation.

The group said nearly two years after the incident, there are concerns over the preservation of evidence, the availability and recollection of witnesses, and continued uncertainty for the affected families.

“We humbly, therefore, believe that the investigation should receive the necessary attention and resources to enable investigators to pursue credible leads and establish the facts of the matter,” a spokesperson said.

At a news conference, Alhassan Alhassan, Spokesperson for the Concerned NDC Youth in the Nyankpala Zone, also drew attention to the Government Accountability Series briefing held on August 24, 2026, during which the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, addressed efforts to locate suspects connected to the case.

Quoting the Minister, he raised concerns that the description of a suspect provided during the briefing may not correspond with information available to them, and thus called on the authorities to review the description against official records and issue a public clarification if necessary.

“We are not asking investigators to reach conclusions without evidence. We are asking that the investigation be pursued with urgency, professionalism, and fairness,” the spokesperson said, adding that any person suspected of involvement must be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.

He requested seven actions, including expediting the investigation, providing investigators with the necessary support, reviewing the suspect's description from the August briefing, providing appropriate updates to the affected family while protecting sensitive information, protecting witnesses from intimidation or retaliation, acting on credible evidence, and responding to the petition in writing within 30 days.

Mr Alhassan said they were not seeking to interfere with investigators or the courts but are only demanding a credible process that establishes the facts.

“What the affected family and the community need is a credible process that establishes the facts,” the spokesperson said.

The petition was addressed to the President, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, and other relevant institutions, with a request to the Tolon District Chief Executive to transmit it to the appropriate authorities.

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