A fierce confrontation between two rival groups, the Sammordua and Samgba Gyafla factions erupted at the Sampa Main Market in the Bono Region on Sunday, October 5, 2025, turning the busy commercial hub into a scene of chaos and destruction.
The violent clash, marked by sporadic gunfire and the burning of shops, left eight police officers injured and a service vehicle wrecked. Police reinforcements were quickly deployed to restore order as tension spread across the township.
According to local reports, the disturbance stemmed from an escalating territorial dispute between the two groups. Several stalls and goods worth hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis were destroyed in the blaze.
Police officers responding to an emergency call rushed to the market to control the situation and clear the way for a Ghana National Fire Service truck and an ambulance transporting a pregnant woman.
However, the security team, travelling in police vehicle GP 686, came under heavy fire from both rival groups.
“The police team unfortunately got caught in crossfire between the armed factions. Some officers were hit by bullets, and their vehicle veered off the road into a ditch,” as confirmed by Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, Public Relations Officer of the Bono Regional Police Command.
The officers were eventually evacuated under cover, but their patrol vehicle was rendered inoperable during the exchange.
All eight injured officers were transported to the Sampa Government Hospital, where seven were treated for minor wounds and later discharged. One officer, however, sustained a serious head injury and was airlifted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for further treatment.
The incident indicates the intensity of the gun battle and the risks faced by security personnel in volatile areas.
Following hours of confrontation, police reinforcements successfully brought the situation under control. The Bono Regional Command has since strengthened its presence at Sampa and surrounding communities to prevent renewed violence.
Chief Inspector Akeelah assured residents that all individuals behind the mayhem would be tracked down and prosecuted.
“We want to assure the public that efforts are ongoing to arrest everyone involved in the disturbances,” he said.
The police have begun collecting intelligence and interviewing witnesses to identify the armed men from the Sammordua and Samgba Gyafla factions believed to have sparked the deadly confrontation.
For now, calm has returned to Sampa, but security agencies remain on high alert as investigations continue.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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