Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces have removed Alhaji Seidu Abagre from Bawku in line with recommendations contained in the mediation report on the Bawku conflict by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
In a statement issued by the Minister for the Interior, Muntanka Mohammed-Mubarak said the operation was carried out on the afternoon of December 24, 2025, as part of efforts to maintain peace and stability in the area.
The Asantehene, while presenting the Bawku mediation report to President John Dramani Mahama on December 16, 2025, Otumfuo, recommended the strict enforcement of Ghana’s existing laws recognising Asigri Abugrago Azorka II as the lawful Bawku Naba, describing it as the most critical step toward restoring lasting peace in Bawku and the wider Kusasi traditional area.
According to the statement, Alhaji Seidu Abagre is safe and currently in the custody of the security agencies.
The Interior Ministry indicated that the action forms part of the implementation of measures proposed in the Otumfuo-led mediation process aimed at resolving the longstanding Bawku affair.
The government reiterated its commitment to ensuring peace and security in Bawku and urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies as efforts continue to restore lasting stability in the area.
In his mediation report on the protracted Bawku conflict, presented to government officials at the Jubilee House, Otumfuo stressed that no chief or traditional authority stands above the Constitution or the decisions of the courts.
He emphasised that the government must uphold laws duly enacted and affirmed by the Supreme Court until they are lawfully changed or reviewed.
The Asantehene’s recommendation followed extensive engagements with the Nayiri of Mamprugu, Nayiri-Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Bawku Naba, and other traditional leaders as part of efforts to find an amicable and sustainable resolution to years of violence between Kusasi and Mamprusi groups.
According to Otumfuo, the legal position on the Bawku chieftaincy has long been settled through PNDC Law 75, the 1992 Constitution, and subsequent Supreme Court rulings, all of which recognise the Bawku Naba as the head chief with jurisdiction over the Kusasi traditional area. He noted that attempts to challenge this position have been conclusively closed by the courts.
Local Bawku tourism
While acknowledging the historical ties of the Mamprugu Kingdom to lands in the Bawku area, the Asantehene said current legal realities make it untenable to pursue arrangements that contradict settled law, particularly in relation to claims to the Bawku skin.
Otumfuo further disclosed that the Nayiri has expressed willingness to make concessions in the interest of peace, describing the decision as difficult but necessary.
He, however, maintained that any such concessions must align with the law and respect existing legal authority.
He warned that the continued failure to enforce the lawful status of the Bawku Naba is fuelling insecurity in the area, describing the conflict as an escalating security concern that requires firm and lawful action.