Achimota 'Las Vegas' residents count losses after violent clashes on Tuesday

Residents of Achimota Las Vegas are calling on the Ghana Police Service to beef up security and visibility in the area to avert reprisal attacks.

This follows violent clashes between two gangs that led to the death of one person and the burning of properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis.

The structures, mostly wooden, which were occupied by families were destroyed together with items in them.

According to the residents, similar incidents had occurred in times past and if security had improved, the recent incident would not have occurred.

A resident who spoke to Citi News the morning after the incident occurred said she could not take any property after her store was set on fire by one of the feuding gangs.

“I was informed that there was a fire outbreak in my shop. I couldn’t salvage any item. I have no problem with anyone and so I don’t know why this should happen to me.”

A middle-aged man who lives in one of the kiosks set on fire also said he could only retrieve one refrigerator but lost all his properties due to the incident.

“I was nearly stabbed. I had three refrigerators. I could only salvage one. We lost all of our properties,” he said.

“I think that if the police had beefed up security in this area, this incident wouldn’t have happened. If there were enough security men here, I don’t think the people would have attempted to pull a knife on each other,” one resident said.

Over 20 structures, in the slum, were razed as a result of the violent attacks on Tuesday evening.

Some residents said the incident was a reprisal attack allegedly orchestrated by the family of the deceased.

The deceased’s brother said he was watching football when he saw what was happening.

“When they came in, they started the action and I saw my brother bleeding and I took him to the hospital and that was all…A senior brother heard the news and said we will not allow something to happen to our brother and not retaliate,” the brother of the deceased recounted,” he

One of the victims of the fire told Citi News that: “my brother’s car was burning. I went there to pour water on it not knowing that they will come and burn my place too. My fridge, my decorations, my money [was all lost].”

It took the intervention of the fire service to control the raging fire.

Source: citifmonline.com