An explosive territorial dispute between two rival factions, the Sammordua and the Samgba Gyafla, transformed the usually bustling Sampa Main Market into a temporary war zone on Sunday, October 5, 2025.
The violent tribal clash, characterised by intense gunfire and the deliberate burning of commercial properties, left eight police officers wounded and a service vehicle disabled, forcing the Bono Regional Police Command to deploy heavy reinforcements.
The initial distress call received by the Police Command reported a fierce exchange of fire and the subsequent torching of “several stores” within the market area, causing potentially hundreds of thousands of Ghana Cedis in commercial damages and destroying essential goods.
A rapid response team of police personnel was immediately dispatched to the scene, tasked not only with restoring order but also with securing the passage of a Ghana National Fire Service tender and an ambulance that was urgently transporting a pregnant woman to a local hospital.
However, the police team, riding in service vehicle GP 686, became the direct target of the heavily armed groups as they attempted to intervene.
The officers were caught in the intense crossfire, turning the peacekeeping mission into a desperate struggle for survival.
“The police team, however, got caught up in the exchange of gunfire from the armed groups. Some officers sustained gunshot injuries, and the service vehicle with registration number GP 686 veered into a ditch during the crossfire,” confirmed Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, Public Relations Officer for the Bono Regional Police Command.
The patrol vehicle, a critical law enforcement asset, was effectively taken out of commission after veering into a ditch, leaving the officers vulnerable.
The eight police officers who sustained gunshot injuries were immediately rushed to the Sampa Government Hospital for treatment.
Medical teams worked quickly to stabilize the wounded, though the severity of the confrontation was clear from the casualties.
Seven of the officers were treated for their wounds—which ranged from graze wounds to deep flesh injuries—and were subsequently discharged later that evening. However, one officer sustained a severe head injury and was deemed to require specialized care beyond the capacity of the local facility.
“One officer, who sustained a head injury, has been referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for further treatment,” Chief Inspector Akeelah stated, confirming the critical nature of the officer’s condition.
The police officer’s critical referral to the major regional teaching hospital in Kumasi, a journey of nearly 300 kilometers, highlights the seriousness of the trauma sustained.
Following the heavy engagement, the Bono Regional Police Command successfully contained the violence and has since intensified patrols across Sampa, particularly in and around the market area, to maintain a fragile calm.
The Command is now focusing efforts on identifying and apprehending the perpetrators responsible for both the initial violence and the direct assault on the uniformed officers.
Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah assured the public that justice would be pursued vigorously: “The Bono Regional Police Command assures the public that every effort is being made to arrest all individuals involved in the disturbances.”
The investigation is currently leveraging intelligence networks and eyewitness testimonies to identify the armed individuals from the Sammordua and Samgba Gyafla factions who initiated the potentially treasonable attack on state security forces.
