Dagbon Traditional Council Bans Use Of Weapons During Social Gatherings

The Dagbon Traditional Council has passed a resolution in an emergency meeting to stop the use of weapons, especially during festivals, funerals and other social gatherings. The misuse and abuse of weapons at social gatherings by civilians are becoming rampant and could potentially lead to injuries and sometimes

deaths. The Dagbon Traditional Council is worried about the proliferation of small arms in circulation. The Council argued that violent extremists may take an advantage to use it to cause mayhem. The Dagbon Traditional Council has therefore banned the use of weapons in social gathering. Speaking at the emergency meeting in

Tamale, the Executive Secretary of National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Afi Yakubu, outlined the implications of using unregistered weapons and said people with weapons must have them registered. The Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, who is also Chairman of the Northern Regional Security Council, noted that conflicts in Africa and the Sahel have also intensified due to the proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons.