Disputed Yiidana chief and son shot dead in Gushegu

In the Gushegu Municipality of the Northern Region, a disputed chief of Yiidana and his son were shot dead, reigniting a long-standing chieftaincy dispute that has persisted for nearly four years. District Chief Executive Abdul Hafiz Adam revealed that three gunmen attacked the chief's family home in the early hours of Thursday, killing both the chief and his son.

The conflict stems from a dispute over the authority to enskin a chief for Yiidana, involving the Paboni community and the traditional authority of Zantali-Lana. The dispute began four years ago when Zantali-Lana sought to install a chief, but residents of Paboni objected and challenged their authority. The Yaa Naa's palace in Yendi ruled in favor of Zantali-Lana, but tensions remained high.

The dispute flared again when the Zantali-Lana attempted to carry out the enskinment, despite Yiidana's neighbors insisting the Yiidana community did not fall under their jurisdiction. Despite pleas for time to assess security, the enskinned chief was initially made to live outside Yiidana. The chief's family insisted on his immediate return, leading to Thursday night's attack.

Police and military personnel are now deployed in Yiidana, awaiting the arrival of higher authorities to assess the situation. The area is currently calm, but many residents have fled due to fears of retaliatory attacks. The bodies of the chief and his son remain in the community pending burial arrangements.