A 35-year-old man is currently clinging to life at the Agona Swedru Government Hospital after a violent confrontation between local residents and a suspected gang of landguards at a government-backed telecommunications project site.
The victim, identified as Daniel Larbi, sustained life-threatening stab wounds when a group of approximately 30 men, believed to be landguards, stormed Awutu Oshimpo in the Awutu Senya District, allegedly to halt the construction of a new mobile network tower.
For years, Awutu Oshimpo and its surrounding environs have been plagued by near-total mobile network dead zones, a situation that has hindered emergency services and local commerce.
In a bid to rectify this, the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West, Gizella Agbotui Tetteh, reportedly secured the necessary investment and state approvals to erect a telecommunications mast.
The project had received the full blessing of both local traditional authorities and the youth, with construction workers already on-site conducting preliminary excavations. However, the progress was violently interrupted by what witnesses describe as a tactical invasion.
Eyewitnesses recounted a terrifying scene as the gang arrived on approximately 10 motorbikes, surrounding the construction site and issuing an immediate, aggressive order for the workers to vacate the land.
The standoff quickly turned bloody when the local residents stood their ground, asserting that the project was a legitimate government initiative designed for the public good. The resistance reportedly provoked the gang into a frenzy.
“The group launched an unprovoked attack, triggering chaos and heightening tensions,” one resident noted, describing how the armed men used weapons to disperse the crowd before turning on Mr. Larbi.
During the ensuing melee, Larbi was targeted and stabbed, leaving him in a pool of blood as the attackers fled the scene.
The incident has left a deep psychological scar on the community. While the project aimed to bring digital light to a disconnected area, it has instead brought a shadow of violence. Residents are now questioning the safety of future government projects in the district, fearing that “hired guns” can override the authority of an MP and the state with impunity.
As of Sunday evening, the Agona Swedru Government Hospital confirmed that Larbi remains in critical condition. Despite the brazen nature of the daytime attack, the Awutu Senya District Police Command has yet to make any arrests.
Authorities have called for calm as investigations continue.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com