A chieftaincy escort procession marking the end of Nchiraa's Yam festival turned deadly on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in Nchiraa, a community in the Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region, Ghana. The incident occurred at about 5:30 pm, shortly after the festival's official program had wrapped up. According to Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, Public Relations Officer for the Bono Regional Police Command, preliminary investigations point to the escort of Nana Tabiri Yaw II and his sub-chiefs to the chief's palace as the trigger for the violence.
The disturbances resulted in two people dead and 13 others, including a police officer who was on duty at the event, sustaining gunshot wounds. The injured are currently receiving hospital treatment. The police statement did not identify the victims or specify who opened fire, saying only that investigations into the circumstances of the clash are ongoing. The Bono Regional Police Command has intensified patrols in Nchiraa to guard against any further escalation of violence.
The bodies of the two deceased have been deposited at the Wenchi Methodist Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. No further details have been released on the identities of the victims or a possible motive for the shooting. The police have not said whether any suspects have been identified or taken into custody. The incident has raised fresh concerns about security at large public gatherings tied to chieftaincy and festival events in the Bono Region.
The Yam festival, celebrated in several traditional areas across Ghana, typically marks the harvesting of new yams and is observed with durbars, drumming, and the ceremonial outdooring and escorting of chiefs through their communities. Such chieftaincy escorts often draw large crowds and can, in some communities, become flashpoints for long-standing disputes over succession, land, or traditional authority.
The shooting has put pressure on the Bono Regional Police Command to identify and arrest those responsible before any further unrest can take hold in the community. The police have appealed to the public to remain calm as the investigation continues. Chief Inspector Akeelah said only that preliminary investigations into the cause of the disturbance are continuing.
For residents of Nchiraa and the wider Wenchi Municipality, the incident leaves families of the two deceased in mourning and 13 injured people, including a serving police officer, dealing with gunshot wounds and hospital treatment. The police have not given a timeline for when the investigation will be concluded or when arrests might be made.
The Bono Regional Police Command has assured residents and the wider public that efforts are underway to track down and arrest those behind the gunfire. Calm has since been restored to the community. The incident serves as a reminder of the need for adequate security measures at public gatherings, particularly those tied to chieftaincy and festival events.
Key points
- Two people were killed and 13 others injured in the gunfire at Nchiraa Yam festival.
- The incident occurred during a chieftaincy escort procession marking the end of Nchiraa's Yam festival.
- The police have intensified patrols in Nchiraa to guard against any further escalation of violence.
