PHOTOS: Otumfuo’s shrine set on fire as Kumasi youth clash with police, soldiers

Security personnel in the Ashanti region were given a tough time as rampaging youth from Adwumakasekese in the Afigya Kwabre South District on Friday morning placed the entire Ebom-Bomfa Township under siege, destroying several properties and setting the town’s shrine, one in service to the Overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo osei Tutu II on fire.

The torched ancient shrine is deemed to have been housing one of the most dreaded and powerful deities belonging to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II; age-old regalia and artefacts belonging to the powerful god were not spared.

This follows the rumoured death of Agya Akwasi Owusu, one of three individuals who were shot by police officers on Thursday (yesterday), after a feud over a piece of land under litigation between the chiefs of the two towns got berserk yesterday at Adwumakasekese.

The Adwumakasekese youth early today invaded the Bomfa Township in retaliation of the death of the elderly man, suspecting that the police had acted on Thursday afternoon upon the orders of Bomfahene, Nana Kwaku Twumasi.

The marauding youth who breached the existing police security in the town to set the chief’s shrine on fire, later clashed with a joint police-military reinforcement when they attempted to burn down the palace of Nana Kwaku Twumasi.

Kumasi-based Angel FM reported at midday that, the youth have defied the security’s orders to push back, resulting in the use of tear gas and crowd management strategies; the town was still under siege as at the time of filing this story.

Meanwhile, a “public announcement” from the Manhyia Palace issued and signed by Otumfour Apagyahene, Nana Owusu Afriyie IV suggests that the land under contention has been pronounced by Asantehene, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, to belong to Bomfahene, Nana Kwaku Twumasi.