Nima-Mamobi gang violence

On 18 January 2022, youth in Nima and Maamobi in the Ayawaso East Municipality, suburbs in Accra in the Greater Accra region of Ghana were involved in indiscriminate shooting on the streets. Two rival groups were seen in a video circulating on social media holding guns, clubs and machetes. The violence started at about 3:30pm on Tuesday.

Causes

The clash occurred due to a misunderstanding between two groups called the Bombom group in Mamobi and the Kumodzi group in Nima. The leader of the Kumodzi group went to Mamobi to transact foreign exchange trading. Whiles there, he provoked a member of the other group which led to the two rival groups attacking each other.

Intervention

The Ghana Police Service intervened to bring the situation under control after the video of the clash went viral on social media. According to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director General, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, said police strongly intervened and averted what could have been bloodshed following the violent clash.

Aftermath

Police reported 3 people got seriously injured due to the clash. One of the injured was seen with a deep wound on the ear. Another had deep cuts on the back and the arm. Another had a deep cut on the ear. Some reports claimed four people died from the clash. Some source also claimed there was no fatalities.

A suspect Farouk Dauda known as Omondi was arrested by the GPS in conjunction with the National Investigation Bureau. Farouk was caught after he went hiding. He admitted he was involved in the violence after he was seen in a video holding a machete when he was interrogated.

Suspects

Ghana Police Service placed a GHS20,000 bounty on the leaders of the two gangs due to their roles in the clash. They are Ali Awudu known as Bombom and Ibrahim Hussein known as Kumordzi. Seven people out of nine suspects were arrested and remanded. They were also denied bail. The seven accused persons pleaded not guilty to charges of riot and causing harm in court. They were denied bail by the court and ordered the police to investigate the alibi of the accused.

In February 2022, the leader of the Kumordzi group was detained by the GPS to help in the investigation of the incident.

In February 2022, the leader of the Bombom group was also arrested at Aflao.

Condemnation

• Usmanu Nuhu Sharubutu condemned the clash and expressed his disappointment. He advised the youth to restrain themselves.
• Nafis Quaye, a youth activist and president of World Youth Opportunity condemned the incident calling it “unproductive and destructive.”
• Alhaji Salamu Amadu, ambassador for Africa Youth Assembly Peace also condemned the clash claiming he was sad when he heard the news and saw videos on social media.