Ghana Government Begins Emergency Evacuation of SHS Students Following Deadly Attacks in Bawku and Nalerigu

The Government of Ghana has commenced an urgent and large-scale evacuation of Senior High School (SHS) students from Bawku in the Upper East Region, Nalerigu in the North East Region, and surrounding conflict-prone areas, following a shocking surge of violence that has claimed the lives of three students.

The decision comes in the wake of fatal attacks that occurred last Saturday night, in which three students — one from Bawku Senior High School and two from Nalerigu Senior High School — were shot and killed by unidentified assailants. The gruesome killings have been linked to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Bawku, a long-standing crisis that continues to pose grave risks to civilian life, especially students in boarding schools located within the affected zones.

According to preliminary reports, the three students were returning to their dormitories after weekend study group sessions when they were ambushed and shot at close range. The nature of the attacks has sent shockwaves across the nation and raised serious concerns about the safety of children pursuing education in conflict zones.

Swift Government Response

In a press briefing held on Sunday afternoon, the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, described the killings as “barbaric, heartbreaking, and a direct attack on Ghana’s future.” He announced that the government, through a coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the National Security Ministry, had immediately initiated an emergency evacuation operation to move students from high-risk areas to safety.

“The safety of every Ghanaian child is a national priority,” Dr. Adutwum said. “We will not sit back and allow innocent students to be slaughtered in their pursuit of knowledge. The government is taking all necessary steps to secure their lives and return them to their families safely.”

Military and police escorts have been deployed to oversee the evacuation, which began at dawn on Sunday. Dozens of buses, under tight security, have already transported hundreds of students from Bawku SHS, Nalerigu SHS, and nearby institutions to safer locations, including Tamale, Bolgatanga, and Wa.

GES officials have been stationed at these relocation points to receive and document the evacuated students, while arrangements are being made to ensure their continuous academic support until a long-term solution is found.

Impact on Education in Conflict Zones

The incident is the latest in a series of security threats facing schools in Bawku and neighboring communities, which have been marred by ethnic clashes for decades — mainly between factions of the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups. While government and community efforts have been made over the years to broker peace, recurring violence continues to shatter the fragile calm.

The killings of the three SHS students have deepened fears that schools may become active targets in the crossfire. This fear has prompted many parents to call for the closure of all educational institutions in the affected zones until peace is fully restored.

“I can’t risk my daughter’s life for anything. She’s only 16, and she was terrified when gunshots rang through the night,” said Mr. Abdulai Issah, a father who travelled from Tamale to bring his daughter home from Nalerigu SHS. “If the government didn’t step in quickly, we would have had to take matters into our own hands.”

The Ghana Education Service, in a statement signed by its Acting Director-General, Dr. Eric Nkansah, assured the public that the Service is fully committed to protecting all students. He also urged calm while calling on heads of institutions to cooperate with security personnel during the evacuation.

“We must prioritize the safety of our learners. No student should lose their life due to senseless violence,” Dr. Nkansah stated.

Emotional Toll on Students

For many students, the trauma of witnessing violence or losing classmates has left deep emotional scars. Some survivors of the Saturday night attacks have recounted their harrowing experiences of running through the darkness, hiding behind classroom blocks, and hearing their colleagues scream before the gunshots fell silent.

One student from Bawku SHS, who narrowly escaped the attack, told reporters under anonymity: “We were walking back to the dorm when we saw shadows moving toward us. We thought it was our teachers, but then we heard the first gunshot. Everyone scattered. I jumped into a gutter and hid. When I came out, my friend was lying in blood.”

Health officials in Tamale and Bolgatanga have since been offering psychological counseling and trauma support to evacuated students. Many have been diagnosed with acute stress and fear-related symptoms.

Political and Civil Reactions

The tragic events have triggered widespread condemnation from both government and opposition leaders. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed deep sorrow over the killings and ordered a high-level investigation to find and prosecute the perpetrators. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence in Bawku and its environs.

Former President John Dramani Mahama also issued a statement mourning the loss of young lives and urged for an immediate national security review of conflict-prone regions to prevent further tragedies.

Civil society groups, including the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) and Child Rights International, have also weighed in, calling for a rethinking of how education is delivered in conflict-affected zones. They recommend the establishment of emergency education response units and better coordination between schools and security agencies.

Security Measures and Next Steps

The Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces have ramped up their presence in Bawku and Nalerigu, mounting checkpoints and patrolling critical areas to deter further attacks. A joint security task force has also been tasked with investigating the killings, tracking the assailants, and restoring calm to the communities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is exploring alternative learning options for affected students. These include remote learning modules, temporary placement in other schools, and a possible deferment of their academic calendar until safety can be guaranteed.

Parents are being urged to remain in touch with school authorities for updates regarding their children and to avoid traveling into high-risk zones without official clearance.

Conclusion

The emergency evacuation of students from Bawku and Nalerigu marks a critical response to a deepening crisis that threatens the fundamental right to education in Ghana’s conflict-prone regions. While the government’s swift intervention has been widely praised, the tragic loss of three promising lives is a sobering reminder of the devastating human cost of unresolved ethnic violence.

As investigations continue and calls for peace intensify, the hope remains that Ghana will rise above these challenges to protect its most vulnerable — the youth whose dreams are tied to the promise of education, security, and a peaceful future.

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