Tensions have escalated in Akropong-Akuapem following the fatal shooting of a man during a police operation linked to an ongoing chieftaincy dispute, with local youth strongly contesting the official account of events.
The disturbances begun last week when the Ohemea of the area, together with her elders converged at their family house to celebrate their annual festival, when persons believed to be landguards allegedly employed by a rival faction to destruct the process.
They pelted stones at the gathering amid the shooting of guns.
However, a day after that incident, the security guard of the Ohemea was shot and killed.
The deceased, identified as Kwasi Ansah Awuku, popularly known as “Dragon,” was killed in the early hours of April 10, 2026, during an operation conducted by personnel from the Eastern Regional Police Intelligence Directorate, with support from the national headquarters of the Ghana Police Service.
According to a police situational report, the operation formed part of efforts to arrest individuals allegedly involved in disturbances during the Awukudae celebration on April 8. Police said the suspect opened fire when officers attempted to enter his residence, leading to a gun battle that lasted nearly two hours. He was subsequently shot and killed, and a pump-action gun along with spent and live cartridges was retrieved from the scene.
Three other suspects—Bright Ofori Asante, Kwame Ayeh, and Elvis Adjei—were arrested for allegedly obstructing police and were said to have been identified in footage linked to the earlier clashes. They are currently in custody in Koforidua, while the deceased’s body has been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue for autopsy.
However, the police account has been sharply disputed by a group calling itself the Concerned Youth of Akropong-Akuapem, who have issued a strongly worded statement demanding justice and an independent investigation into the incident.
The group described the police narrative as “misleading and unsubstantiated,” insisting that the deceased was not a criminal but rather served as head of security for the Okuapehemaa. They claimed he was unarmed and asleep at home when police entered his residence around 1:00 a.m. and shot him at close range.
The youth raised several concerns, questioning why lethal force was used and why no arrest was made during the earlier disturbances. They also alleged that no immediate medical assistance was provided after the shooting and accused authorities of restricting family access to the body.
The incident follows heightened tensions in the area stemming from a chieftaincy dispute, which reportedly escalated during the Awukudae observance. Eyewitnesses say the event was disrupted by rival factions, leading to chaos, although no arrests were made at the time.
In their statement, the youth outlined a series of demands, including an independent probe into the killing, the release of the autopsy report, access for the family to the body, and the suspension of officers involved pending investigations.
The killing has intensified concerns about the handling of security operations in chieftaincy-related conflicts and has sparked broader calls for accountability and transparency.
Police say investigations into the incident and the earlier disturbances are ongoing as authorities work to restore calm in the area.
