Stories and facts

In April 2002, the government of Ghana declared a state of emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area following violent clashes in Yendi that led to the killing of the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, and at least 29 others.

The violence erupted between the two main royal gates, the Andani and Abudu families, during a long-standing chieftaincy dispute.

The king’s palace was set ablaze, and the region was thrown into turmoil, with fears that the conflict could spread to other parts of northern Ghana.

President John Agyekum Kufuor, after consulting the Council of State, invoked the Emergency Powers Act of 1994 and officially gazetted the state of emergency on March 27, 2002.

The declaration affected several districts, including Yendi, Tolon-Kumbungu, Savelugu-Nanton, Gushegu-Karaga, and Zabzugu-Tatale.

Security forces, including police and military, were deployed to the region to restore order and prevent further violence.

A curfew was imposed, restricting movement from dawn to dusk, which significantly impacted daily life and economic activities for residents.

The state of emergency also brought about strict media controls. The Ministry of Information required that all news reports about the Dagbon crisis be cleared with the ministry unless they were official government releases.

This move was intended to prevent the spread of misinformation and inflammatory reporting but was met with resistance from some media outlets, although most eventually complied.

To address the Dagbon conflict, the government set up the Wuaku Commission of Inquiry to investigate the causes and events, and also formed a Committee of Eminent Chiefs led by the Asantehene to mediate between the rival factions using both state and traditional methods.

Parliament extended the state of emergency for several weeks, highlighting the seriousness and persistence of the crisis.

The state of emergency remained in effect in some areas for nearly two years, reflecting the magnitude of the conflict and the government’s strong commitment to restoring peace and stability in the region.

The Dagbon conflict has been largely resolved through a long process of mediation led by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, including the Asantehene, which culminated in a peace agreement and the installation of a new Ya Na in 2019. This resolution is considered one of the significant achievements in addressing chieftaincy disputes in Ghana, and peace has generally been maintained since then. However, chieftaincy disputes remain a broader challenge in Ghana. The government and traditional leaders continue to work on sustaining peace in Dagbon and other areas.

Explore more about the Northern region of Ghana below.