The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, is seeking for spiritual intervention to halt the violent clashes between the two dominant ethic groups in Chereponi, Konkomba and Anufors (Chokosi).
He believes that the violent clashes between the two ethnic groups is as a result of the handiwork of the devil and it is only through prayers with support from the regional Security Council that the impasse could be curtailed.
He therefore wants all the religious leaders and fetish priests in the region to pray and invoke the spirit of their ancestors to assist in restoring peace to the area.
“For me, it is the devil that has taken over the area. So, we will get the religious leaders and other fetish priests to invoke the spirits of our ancestors and also do prayers and we the security will support them so that they will forgive each and let us live together peacefully”, he noted in interview on the sidelines of the Appointments Committee of Parliament sitting on Tuesday.
Violence between the two ethnic tribes renewed on the night of Friday, March 15, and has since been relentless for four days now. At least 20 communities have been affected, according to police, and nearly 600 locals forced to leave their homes.
Reports said some of those fleeing, mostly women and little children, are trapped in no man’s land and others caught up in-between fire gun battles.
Dozens of armed security forces have been on the grounds since the escalations but poor road and communication networks in the area continue to hamper the provision of adequate security.
A fresh attack was confirmed only last night at a Chokosis village of Gbalu, a community less than 7kms from the Chereponi Township.
Commenting further, the Northern Regional Minister said he is motivated to finding a lasting solution to end the conflict between the two ethnic groups based on the fact that “people now have the appetite to bring in lots of resources to invest in the region”.
