Authorities have ordered the temporary closure of Bawku Senior High School following the fatal shooting of a student on campus, an incident that underscores rising security concerns in northern Ghana’s educational institutions.
The victim, identified as Hakim Kundima, a third-year student, was shot and killed on the evening of Saturday, July 26, in what officials suspect was a targeted attack. According to sources familiar with the matter, unidentified assailants breached the school’s perimeter wall around 8:30 p.m., forcibly removed Kundima from the dormitory, and fatally shot him before fleeing the scene. No arrests have been made as of press time.
The student’s elder brother, Tahiru Kundima, confirmed the incident in interviews with local media and alleged the attack may be linked to ongoing ethnic tensions in the Bawku region, where violence has flared intermittently for years. The area has long been a flashpoint in a protracted chieftaincy dispute that has at times spilled into civilian life.
In response to the shooting, the Bawku Municipal Director of Education, Isaac Agbeko Azasoo, announced the immediate closure of the school on Sunday, citing safety concerns for students and faculty.
The shooting in Bawku coincided with another violent incident at Nalerigu Senior High School, located in the North East Region, where two students were reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen. The twin attacks have raised alarm over the deteriorating security situation around secondary schools in the region.
Law enforcement officials say investigations into the Bawku incident are ongoing, though authorities have yet to provide specific details on suspects or motive.
The Ministry of Education and national security agencies have not publicly commented on whether the attacks are connected or part of a broader threat facing schools in northern Ghana.
