The Mamprugu Traditional Council has strongly condemned the removal of the Bawku Naaba, Naa Sheriga Alhaji Seidu Abagre, from Bawku, describing the action as unlawful, unconstitutional, and deeply troubling.
In a statement issued on December 26, 2025, the Nayiri, Overlord and King of Mamprugu, accused the Government of Ghana of carrying out indiscriminate arrests, intimidation and harassment of law-abiding Mamprusi citizens under the pretext of enforcing a mediation process on the Bawku conflict.
The statement described the removal of the Bawku Naaba as the most disturbing development, alleging that the operation led to the deaths of two innocent Mamprusi citizens and left several others injured. According to the Mamprugu Traditional Council, the action was carried out despite what it calls the “clear unconstitutionality and legal infirmity” of the operation.
The Nayiri also condemned the arrest of an executive member of the Mamprugu Youth Association, Alhaji Inusah Abdul-Majeed Badigamsira, who was allegedly picked up at about 2:00 a.m. on December 23. The council said his arrest was solely for sharing a document authored by Martin Amidu on the mediation process, while the author himself was not questioned, a situation the council described as selective justice.
The statement warned that such actions, carried out under the cover of darkness, violate constitutional liberties, inflame tensions, and undermine efforts toward peace. It stressed that repression cannot be mistaken for mediation, and force cannot replace justice.
According to the Mamprugu Traditional Council, the use of arbitrary arrests, intimidation, killings and the deployment of state security forces is not only unlawful but dangerously counterproductive, deepening fear and mistrust in communities already affected by long-standing disputes.
The council further reminded the government that the arrest, detention or removal of the Bawku Naaba constitutes a direct violation of the 1992 Constitution. It insisted that the chieftaincy status of Naa Sheriga Alhaji Seidu Abagre remains intact and cannot be extinguished or diminished through arrest or state action.
The constitution, the council noted, guarantees the institution of chieftaincy and forbids any person or authority from conferring, withdrawing or altering the recognition of a chief outside the customs and traditions of the relevant area.
The Mamprugu Traditional Council said it was particularly disturbed by the government’s explanation that the action was taken based on recommendations from the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II mediation report on the Bawku matter, insisting that this justification does not override constitutional and customary law.
The statement ends with a call for restraint, respect for the rule of law, and genuine dialogue, warning that continued heavy-handed actions risk worsening tensions rather than bringing lasting peace to Bawku and its surrounding communities.