Students riot in Salaga claims one life

One person was confirmed dead following a riot between students and some police personnel at the Salaga T.I. Ahmadiya Senior High School (SHS) in the Salaga District of the Northern Region.

The death resulted from a provocation by some angry mob of students who threw stones and other objects at the police, who after several attempts to stop and disperse them also opened fire which resulted in the untimely death of the deceased.

The deceased was believed to be on his way  to  the Salaga Farmers’ Co-operative Credit Union, which is near the scene of the rioting to withdraw some money when the unfortunate incident happened.

Meanwhile the school’s store room has been set ablaze with the police  vehicle with registration number GT 294  also vandalized by the irate students and youths .

Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer (PR0) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ebenezer Tetteh said the riot started yesterday morning after four students of the school who were in bathroom slippers with their shirts hanging on had been asked to go out of an examination hall by one of the teachers since it is against the rules and regulations of the school.

According to ASP Tetteh the students who felt they had been disgraced by the teacher’s action got angry and started threatening the life of the teacher, Madam Azara Sulemana, and she quickly went to the headmaster’s office to lodge a complaint.

He said a complaint was later on made to the police after authorities of the school realized that the issue was escalating of which the said students were apprehended.

“The students after their arrest were taken to the charge office where they were detained for further investigations and while in custody, the incident angered some youth of the area, who together with some irate students stormed the police station demanding for the release of the students,” he explained.

He added that the increasing number of the students and the youth in the area led to an appeal by the District Chief Executive (DCE) to hand over the four students who were in police custody so they could meet with the school authorities and the student body to resolve the matter, since it was getting out of hand.

He stressed that the increasing number of the youths at the police station compelled the police to ask the students youths to return to their schools and homes but they refused. He said they continue disturbing the peace by throwing objects and in attempts by the police to scare, the police gave a warning shot which affected the deceased.

“The timely intervention of the police stopped what could have resulted in casualties, when the angry mob comprising the students and the youth attempted attacking the headmaster of the school, who has now been sent to a safe place for security reasons,” he said.

ASP Tetteh said even though no arrest had been made, they had called for reinforcement from the regional police command to assist in normalizing the situation as the people were trying to outnumber the security.

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna who condemned the act has called for the closure of the school to help instill peace and calm in the area.

Alhaji Limuna said the Regional Security Council was going to meet with the head of the school to find out what measures to take in order to  curb the situation.