The constituency secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Sissala West constituency, Abdul Rauf Zini says the gruesome attack on the constituency’s Nasara coordinator, Iddrisu Walaika was politically motivated.
According to him, the victim was attacked by persons sympathetic toward an aspiring constituency chairman.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, he described the incident as unfortunate and called for the perpetrators to be dealt with.
Abdul Rauf Zini alleged that, the aspirant, one Majid, orchestrated the attack in order to advance his campaign to unseat the current constituency chairman who is seeking re-election.
“With the help of the video, we can identify about 12 persons who we know. They are supporting one Majid who apparently is the chief’s son and is aspiring to be the constituency chairman,” he said.
A group of young men attacked the Nasara Coordinator, Iddrisu Walaika and inflicted deep machete wounds on him.
The incident happened on Monday, April 18, 2022, between the hours of 11pm and 12am at Gwollu, the capital of the Sissala West district.
Citi News sources in the town indicate that the perpetrators, numbering about 10, pounced on the victim around the Gwollu Hospital.
The constituency secretary said this is not the first time the Nasara coordinator had been attacked.
“This is not the first time the Nasara coordinator is being attacked. On 28th February he was attacked and he got injured. I took him in the party vehicle to the hospital for his forehead to be stitched… The Nasara coordinator has someone he looks up to, who is the current constituency chairman, who is also running again. All the current constituency executives are contesting again and we are on one side,” he added.
Meanwhile, police in the Upper West Region say they are conducting further investigations into the matter to possibly arrest more suspects in addition to the two arrested over the incident.
The PRO of the Upper West Regional police command, Chief Inspector Gideon Ohene Boateng also on Eyewitness News called on the public to volunteer relevant information for the arrest of other suspects.
“The information that we have is that the two people that we arrested are not the only people involved. We are expecting to arrest others. Therefore, the people are hiding the other persons and fail to report them to the police, those harbouring the criminals will also be arrested to face the full rigours of the law,” he said.
The victim is currently said to be responding to treatment.