The Lambussie District Chief Executive (DCE), Ireneous Basingbie Naawulle, has visited Hamile and injured victims at Nandom Hospital following a deadly explosion and subsequent disturbances in the border community.
The visit was aimed at obtaining first-hand information about the incident and engaging affected residents and stakeholders to help restore calm.
The DCE, who returned from a meeting in Kumasi, visited the community on Tuesday, November 3, where he received briefings from security personnel and other stakeholders before appealing to residents to remain calm and allow investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
He subsequently visited injured persons receiving treatment at Nandom Hospital, where he confirmed that they were responding to medical care.
In a fresh update on the incident, the Member of Parliament for Lambussie, Prof. Titus Kofi Beyuo, has disclosed that 13 people sustained injuries during the explosion, with all the victims being males.
The MP provided the casualty figures while giving an update on the incident, although further details about the identities and conditions of all the injured persons were not immediately available.
The explosion occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3, when officers of the Ghana Immigration Service reportedly attempted to intercept persons transporting dynamite on a tricycle through an unapproved route towards neighbouring Burkina Faso.
The incident claimed three lives, according to information provided by the DCE’s office, including two civilians and an immigration officer. Another immigration officer sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Accra for further medical attention.
The exact circumstances that triggered the explosion remain unclear, with competing accounts emerging from the community. While some residents believe the explosives may have rubbed against each other, others have alleged that immigration officers fired at the load. Neither account has been independently established.
The incident subsequently triggered violent disturbances, with some youth burning tyres, blocking vehicular movement and attempting to set ablaze Immigration Service installations.
Military reinforcement was deployed to the area, and the Ministry of the Interior imposed a curfew on Hamile and its surrounding communities to restore security.
The DCE has appealed to residents, particularly those affected by the incident, to exercise restraint and cooperate with the authorities as efforts continue to restore normalcy.
He has also disclosed that engagements with relevant stakeholders are being pursued towards finding an immediate and lasting solution to the situation.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
