The Bunkpurugu chieftaincy dispute has taken a new turn after the Chief Justice approved a request to move the case from the High Court in Nalerigu to Tamale. The defendants, citing threats to their safety, feared for their lives if they appeared in court in Nalerigu. Elijah Saan, one of the defendants, told JoyNews they received intelligence suggesting they could be killed if they traveled to Nalerigu for the hearing scheduled on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The Registrar of the Nalerigu High Court confirmed the Chief Justice’s decision on the same day. The transfer follows escalating tensions in Bunkpurugu since the contested installation of Melchizedek Musah Jamung as chief on September 14, 2026. That event took place amid an ongoing dispute and triggered violence that left one woman dead and four others injured.
Police have been actively searching for the rival chief and other members of the Jamong royal family in connection with the disputed installation. The Jamong and Jafouk royal families have long been at odds, with the conflict causing repeated incidents of farm destruction, arson, and residents fleeing their homes.
The Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Naa Bohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, filed an application at the High Court in Nalerigu on October 14, 2026. The Nayiri accused four individuals of contempt of court for proceeding with the enskinment despite ongoing legal proceedings over the Bunkpurugu skin. The application names the respondents as defying judicial processes.
The chieftaincy dispute has left Bunkpurugu unsettled, with local residents living under the shadow of violence and uncertainty. The move to transfer the case to Tamale comes as the defendants seek a safer environment to face the charges amid the heightened risks in Nalerigu. The outcome of the case and the community’s response remain closely watched.
According to Joy Online.
