The government’s decision to impose a curfew on Nalerigu and the surrounding areas has drawn harsh criticism from the Mamprusi Traditional Council, which calls the action capricious, unwarranted, and disrespectful to the Nayiri’s authority.
The Nayiri Palace voiced its strong disapproval of the curfew, which went into effect on July 27, 2025, in a statement released on Monday, July 28.
The order, which prohibits travel between 2:00 PM and 6:00 AM every day, comes after two students were killed on Saturday, July 26 at Nalerigu Senior High School by unidentified gunmen.
The Palace claims that despite no immediate conflict and the town being peaceful, the directive was imposed without any prior consultation.
“The Nayiri Palace has taken grave notice of a communique circulating in the public domain announcing the imposition of a curfew… While Mamprugu remains firmly committed to constitutional rule… the Palace expresses its deep displeasure and dismay at the arbitrary and unjustified manner in which this curfew has been imposed,” the statement said.
Although the motive for the killings has not been confirmed by authorities, local rumors have connected the incident to the ongoing Bawku conflict. The Mamprusi Traditional Council, however, denied any connection between the two, stating that Nalerigu should not be associated with regions that are undergoing instability.
“It is troubling that the government continues to pursue a misguided policy of equating the longstanding conflict in the Bawku Traditional Area with the peace and stability that exists in Mamprugu, particularly in Walewale and now Nalerigu,” it added.
Such reactionary measures do little to foster lasting peace, the Council warned, calling the government’s justification that the curfew would allow for the safe evacuation of students “unfortunate and unconvincing.”
The Council made the following three demands of the government, claiming that traditional authority had been compromised: The curfew on Nalerigu and the surrounding area should be lifted immediately.
A thorough and open investigation into the students’ murders, with the offenders prosecuted.
The Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu deserve a heartfelt apology for avoiding the Palace in such a crucial security decision.
A strong reminder that maintaining peace in Mamprugu requires cooperation and respect for one another rather than taking unilateral action without consulting the local population was included in the statement’s conclusion.
