The Chief of Mujipe, who was 75 years old and resided in the Tuluwe Traditional Area in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region, has been fatally shot at his palace according to a publication by MyJoyOnline.com.
The incident took place between 7 pm and 8 pm on March 30. According to sources at the Savannah Regional Police Command, the victim's body has been transported to the morgue, and his son, whose identity has been withheld, sustained a gunshot wound to the back and is presently in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.
JoyNews sources stated that a longstanding land dispute between the deceased, known as Mujipewura, and the Kakpadewura, who claimed ownership of Mujipe, was the cause of the shooting. Two years ago, a confrontation between the two communities resulted in several fatalities and property damage.
The matter was presented to the late Yagbonwura Professor Sulemana Tuntumba Bore Essa I for resolution.
The Savannah Regional Minister, Saeed Muhazu Jibril, expressed his outrage at the incident, condemning it as "barbaric and criminal."
He further stated that it was critical to handle the matter to the fullest extent possible, as it was a purely criminal matter. More police personnel have been dispatched to the Mujipe community to ensure the safety of residents and their property.
Sources indicate that the King is displeased with the situation, as the Mujipe land dispute was one of the issues he sought to address in the Kingdom. The case is regarded as a test case for the new Yagbonwura, who has previous knowledge of the Mujipe land problem since the deceased chief previously served under his traditional area when he was chief of Tuluwe.