High court withdraws warrant for arrest of Mamprugu overlord

The arrest warrant for Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Nayiri of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, and his kingmakers has been revoked by the Bolgatanga High Court.

This comes a few days after the same court issued the warrant requested by a certain Lieutenant Colonel Ajibadeck Bemjamin Baba (Rtd), who had asked the court for the paramount chief’s arrest following his enskinnment.

As a result, the court modified the prior ex-parte motion, which is now “hereby rescinded under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court”.

The reason for the chief’s arrest was unclear, but it was thought to be related to the unlawful and condemned enskinment of a new chief for Bawku on February 15 done at the palace of the Mamprugu overlord.

The warrant also directed the arrest of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, who was enskinned as the new chief of Bawku by the Nayiri despite the recognition of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the overlord of Bawku.

According to reports, military personnel assigned to carry out the arrest directive allegedly failed to achieve their mission because they were stopped by some angry youth in Nalerigu.

On the night of February 19, the youth allegedly set up roadblocks.

The government has declared the enskinment of a new Bawku Naba in Nalerigu to be illegal.

“The Government condemns developments in Nalerigu today February 15, 2023, concerning the purported enskinment of a new Bawku Naba as illegal and a threat to National Security,” the government said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Information.

The government also stated in the statement that Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is the Bawku Naaba, who has been duly gazetted and is a member of the National and Upper East Regional Houses of Chiefs.