Tension flared at the Chorkor Cemetery (Royal Cemetery) in Accra on Thursday May 21,2026 when a group of youth undertaking communal labour were reportedly attacked by suspected landguards, sparking outrage and allegations of police complicity.
According to eyewitness accounts, the youth had gathered at the cemetery in the Mamprobi area to clear overgrown weeds, fix a gate and improve sanitation at the burial grounds when the assailants stormed the site. The landguards, said to be heavily built and armed with sticks and cutlasses, allegedly disrupted the exercise and forcibly drove the volunteers away.
Some of the victims claimed they were assaulted during the confrontation, with a few sustaining minor injuries. The situation reportedly escalated when police officers arrived at the scene but allegedly failed to restrain the attackers. Instead, witnesses accuse the officers of offering protection to the landguards, a claim that has since triggered public anger and calls for investigation.
Residents identified the group as being linked to a known landguard figure, Santrofi, and alleged that the operation was being carried out with the backing of Prince Asharku Bruce-Quaye. The name of the controversial figure has surfaced in several disputes in the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area, where his claim to chieftaincy has been strongly contested by elders and kingmakers, contributing to ongoing tensions in the area.
Community members have condemned the incident, describing it as a blatant attempt to intimidate residents and assert control over public land. They have called on the Ghana Police Service to launch an independent probe into the allegations of misconduct by its officers and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Local leaders are also urging calm while appealing to government and security agencies to intervene swiftly to prevent further escalation. They warn that continued interference by landguards in community activities could undermine peace and security in the area.
As of the time of filing this report, police authorities have not issued an official statement on the incident.
