One shot dead as gunmen invade Peace Council meeting

A senior officer of the National Identification Authority has reportedly been killed after gunmen invaded a Peace Council meeting at Saboabi in the Northern region.

Reports indicate the incident occurred on Thursday, October 8, 2020, when a quasi-peace committee, that works under the Peace Council met to resolve a chieftaincy dispute between two Komkomba factions.

Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, who confirmed the incident, said the attack is linked to the long standing Sanguli chieftaincy dispute.

Information gathered suggested that the suspects opened fire at a school where the meeting was being held, shooting the deceased, who died on the spot, multiple times.

Joy News’ regional correspondent, Illiasu Tanko, reports that the Chairman of the peace delegation in an interview disclosed he was the target of the gunmen.

He said they have been to more than eight communities because Sanguli has about nine communities.

He revealed that when they went to one of the communities yesterday, an elderly man approached them and told them they won’t be allowed to hold a meeting there because he has not been informed.

“He attempted to explain the situation to the man but he did not back down on his stance, so the Chairman said he went to a local church to tell people who had gathered to listen to the peace message that the situation was getting intense and the meeting will not come off,” Illiasu reported.

However, Mr Saeed has assured security has been beefed up in the community to restore calm.