Mamprusi Traditional Council Demands Lifting of Curfew

The Mamprusi Traditional Council has strongly condemned the government’s imposition of a curfew on Nalerigu and its surrounding areas, describing the move as arbitrary, unjustified, and a direct affront to the authority of the Nayiri.

In a statement issued on Monday, July 28, the Nayiri Palace expressed its displeasure over the curfew imposed from 2:00 PM to 6:00 AM daily, effective July 27, 2025, stating that the decision was made without prior consultation, despite Nalerigu being calm and devoid of any ongoing conflict.

“The Nayiri Palace has taken grave notice of a communique circulating in the public domain announcing the imposition of a curfew… While Mamprugu remains firmly committed to constitutional rule… the Palace expresses its deep displeasure and dismay at the arbitrary and unjustified manner in which this curfew has been imposed,” the statement read.

The curfew follows the killing of two students at Nalerigu Senior High School on Saturday, July 26, by unidentified gunmen. While authorities have yet to confirm the motive, local speculation has linked the incident to the protracted Bawku conflict.

However, the Council insists that Nalerigu should not be lumped together with areas experiencing unrest.

“It is troubling that the government continues to pursue a misguided policy of equating the longstanding conflict in the Bawku Traditional Area with the peace and stability that exists in Mamprugu, particularly in Walewale and now Nalerigu,” the statement added.

The Council dismissed the government’s justification that the curfew was meant to facilitate the evacuation of students as “unfortunate and unconvincing,” and warned that such reactive security measures do not promote long-term peace.

Demanding immediate action, the Mamprusi Traditional Council called on the government to:

1. Lift the curfew on Nalerigu and its environs without delay.
2. Conduct a full and transparent investigation into the murder of the students and bring the perpetrators to justice.
3. Issue an unqualified apology to the Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu for bypassing traditional authority.

The Palace stressed that peace in Mamprugu must be preserved through collaboration and respect, not through what it described as unilateral and poorly informed decisions made without local engagement.