The defendants say they fear for their lives if they attend proceedings in Nalerigu, amid heightened tensions over the disputed installation of a chief in Bunkpurugu.
The Chief Justice has approved a request by defendants in the Bunkpurugu chieftaincy dispute to transfer their case from the High Court in Nalerigu to Tamale over security concerns.
One of the defendants, Elijah Saan, told JoyNews that they feared for their lives if they travelled to Nalerigu to attend court.
According to him, the defendants had received intelligence suggesting they could be killed if they appeared before the court in Nalerigu. They subsequently instructed their lawyer to apply for the case to be transferred to Tamale.
The case was scheduled for hearing on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The Registrar of the Nalerigu High Court confirmed to JoyNews on Friday that the Chief Justice had granted the application.
Disputed Enskinment Triggers Tensions
The transfer comes amid heightened tensions in Bunkpurugu following the disputed enskinment of Melchizedek Musah Jamung as chief on September 14, 2026.
The installation, which took place amid an ongoing chieftaincy dispute, reportedly triggered violence that left one woman dead and four others injured.
Police have since been searching for the rival chief and other members of the Jamong royal family in connection with the disputed enskinment.
Nayiri Seeks Contempt Proceedings
The development has also prompted the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Naa Bohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, to file an application at the High Court in Nalerigu seeking to have four individuals committed for contempt of court over the installation.
In the application filed on October 14, 2026, the Nayiri accused the respondents of defying judicial processes by proceeding with the enskinment despite an ongoing legal dispute over the Bunkpurugu skin.
The application forms part of the wider legal contest surrounding the traditional leadership of the area.
Royal Family Dispute Fuels Insecurity
The dispute between the Jamong and Jafouk royal families has contributed to persistent tensions in Bunkpurugu, with reports of farm destruction, arson and residents fleeing their homes amid fears of further violence.
The transfer of the court proceedings to Tamale is intended to address the defendants’ stated security concerns as the legal processes surrounding the chieftaincy dispute continue.
