The caution follows recent tensions in the metropolis between members of Masjidul-Bayan and Ambariya Muslim groups.

The REGSEC also appealed to the leadership of the two Muslim groups and all other religious leaders in the Northern region to appreciate the value of peace by not engaging in acts or utterances that would jeopardise the existing peace in the area.

A statement signed by the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, and issued to the media in Tamale after the council’s meeting last Friday, said any individual or group of persons found culpable, would be dealt with according to the law.

Measures

The REGSEC outlined some strategies to help nip in the bud the current religious tension between the two Muslim groups in the regional capital.

It includes the deployment of security personnel to certain key areas of the two groups to quell any possible clashes.

Also, security patrols have been intensified within the broad concept of operation "Suhudoo" (Calm Nerves), in Dagbani. It was launched a couple of weeks ago by the REGSEC to combat the spate of violent crimes and armed robbery in the metropolis.

The measures, the statement said, demonstrated the preparedness of the security agencies to deal with the rising religious tensions.
Meeting with operators of radio stations

As part of the measures to deal with the situation, the REGSEC is meeing with operators of radio stations in the metropolis today, February 26, 2018 to discuss measures to control excesses in utterances and preaching on radio stations.

The council reechoed its caution to radio stations to be diligent with the content of materials they put out, so that passions were not inflamed to create disturbances in the metropolis.

“Freedom of speech must be exercised in a manner that does not hurt or injure others in any way, and radio stations must not allow materials that seek to create misunderstanding in the society,” the statement said.

Commendation

“REGSEC notes the commitment to peace which has been expressed by the leadership of the Ambariya and the Masjidul-Bayan groups and wish to express gratitude to them for their exemplary show of maturity.

"It is the hope of REGSEC that, the commitment they have made to peace, coupled with the measures that have been put in place by REGSEC, will yield the desired dividends of achieving total tranquility in the region for the needed development to take place," it added.

Engagement

Meanwhile, Samuel Dodoo reports that the Chairman of the REGSEC, Mr Saeed, has already engaged the leadership of the Ambariya and the Masjid Bayan groups who have both pledged to uphold the peace in the area.

At the meeting, Mr Saeed expressed the REGSEC’s firm belief that as religious leaders the two held the key to the achievement of total peace in the region, adding that by their large following religious leaders wielded tremendous influence which could bring the people together to achieve peace, progress and development.

He said the REGSEC had relied on Islamic clerics in Tamale to travel to Bimbilla to initiate the process of peace-building among the contending fractions in the Bimbilla chieftaincy dispute.

“The achievement chalked up in that intervention is worthy of mention and REGSEC believes that, religious leaders have a major role to play in addressing the wellknown chieftaincy problems in the region,” he stated.

The Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has cautioned residents of the Tamale metropolis against engaging in acts that have the potential to disturb the prevailing peace in the metropolis.