Death toll rises to seven in renewed Akyode-Challa ethnic clashes in Nkwanta-South
1st July 2025
The ongoing ethnic violence between the Akyode and Challa communities in the Nkwanta-South Municipality of Ghana’s Oti Region has escalated, claiming five more lives and bringing the total number of fatalities to seven, including a final-year student of Nkwanta Senior High School.
The renewed clashes, which erupted on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, have left the township in turmoil.
According to reports from GNA the situation on the ground remains tense and volatile, with social and economic activities completely paralyzed.
Two female day students were also reported among the injured, having sustained gunshot wounds during the violence.
In response, all public and private schools have been shut down for safety reasons, with police escorts arranged to help students return to their families. Several non-indigenous teachers have fled the area, further disrupting education.
Shops remain closed and the town’s once-lively atmosphere has descended into eerie silence, as fear grips the local population.
In a call for calm, Ubor Konja Tasan, the Chief of Kpassa, appealed to the Kokomba community to show restraint and play an active role in ending the violence.
“We have to prove that it’s possible for all ethnic groups to live together in harmony to fulfil our shared aspirations,” he urged.
Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, visited the area to commiserate with victims and families of the deceased. He lamented the toll the violence has taken on the region’s peace and development and urged the communities to lay down their arms.
“This conflict has endangered lives, destroyed property, and reversed the progress of the region. It’s time for the people to choose peace over bloodshed,” he said.
The minister further appealed to both elders and the youth to actively support the peace process and work toward a lasting, non-violent resolution.
As tensions persist, authorities are intensifying efforts to mediate and restore calm in Nkwanta-South, a community now grappling with grief, uncertainty, and the urgent need for reconciliation.