The Bawku Senior High School has been temporarily closed following the tragic killing of a final-year student, Hakim Kundima, in a late-night shooting incident believed to be linked to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area.
The Bawku Municipal Director of Education, Mr. Isaac Agbeko Azasoo, announced the closure on Sunday, July 27, citing security concerns for both students and staff.
“We have decided to give the school a temporary break so that we can go back to our various homes and to our families,” Mr. Azasoo stated. “Management will communicate with you on when to come back. We are most concerned about the final-year students who have just about a week to start their exams.”
He explained that when the school resumes operations, final-year students will be the first group to return, followed by Form One and Form Two students, once safety can be assured.
According to sources, the incident occurred around 8:30 PM on Saturday, July 26. Eyewitness reports suggest that unidentified assailants scaled the school’s perimeter wall and stormed the dormitory, forcibly dragging 19-year-old Hakim Kundima outside before shooting him in cold blood. The attackers then fled the scene under the cover of darkness.
Hakim’s elder brother, Tahiru Kundima, confirmed the incident to reporters and revealed that the Bawku Divisional Police Commander officially handed the body over to the family.
Mr. Kundima further alleged that the incident may be tied to the enduring ethnic conflict in Bawku, which has repeatedly spilled over into public spaces and institutions, disrupting education and threatening lives.
The killing has sparked renewed fears over the safety of students and the growing reach of the Bawku conflict, which has seen recurring clashes over the years between factions within the community.
Though authorities have not confirmed a direct link between the shooting and the ethnic unrest, community members and school stakeholders are urging government and security agencies to urgently step up surveillance and protection measures in and around educational institutions in the municipality.
Education authorities, community leaders, and student unions are calling for calm while investigations continue. There is growing pressure on the Ghana Police Service to swiftly arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, parents have begun arriving on campus to pick up their children as the school begins its phased closure.