Scores of soldiers and police officers have been deployed to Chereponi in the North East Region to foil brewing chieftaincy tensions which has erupted in the area.

According to police in the region, the joint security team of 100 armed officers have been deployed to Wenchike in the Chereponi district.

Currently, two factions are said to have each laid claim to the chieftaincy throne for the traditional area.

According to the police, the tension was triggered Saturday following the decision by the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa to ignore the advice of the Regional Security Council to hold on with the enskinment of Alhaji Abubakari Awufor as Chief of the area.

Chief Abubakari Awufor who is from the Fomboro clan is being contested by a member of the Jaabu clan.

The two Chakosi rival factions have laid a competing claim to the Wenchike throne and have been at each other’s neck since the death of the last chief of the community over 20 years ago.

Since last month, tension has escalated in the Wenchike community after the arrest of three men suspected to have been hired from Accra to assassinate Alhaji Abubakari Awufo, who has been playing a caretaker role in the last two decades.

He was subsequently enskinned today at the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi as the new of the area, according to the police, despite several attempts by the Regional Security Council to stop the installation.

The police said members of a rival faction were mobilising to challenge the enskinment of Awufor Abubakari by the overlord of Dagbon.

Speaking to JoyNews, Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwadwo Tabi indicated that security has been tightened to avert any form of disturbance.

“I think we have enough men on the ground. We have about 80 police personal [in addition to 20 soldiers] on the ground now I can tell you with about three or so vehicles. And the military is also bringing in more vehicles. So I think we pray that we can maintain law and order.”

Currently, the police have "taken control of the area."