On November 3, a dynamite explosion on the unapproved Mountain Back 2 route in the border town of Hamile killed an immigration officer and left 11 civilians wounded during clashes with security forces. The blast uprooted trees and forced the town’s businesses to shut down under a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
In the wake of the tragedy, Comptroller‑General Samuel Basintale flew to Hamile to lead a high‑stakes peace dialogue. He first inspected the quarter guard parade at the forecourt of Ministries Block B before meeting with the Upper West Regional Security Council. The council’s chairman, DCOP Francis Yiribaare, briefed the delegation on the volatile situation and confirmed that the security environment had since stabilised.
Basintale warned that closing the border even for six hours could create severe traffic congestion, noting that large crowds gathering between stationary vehicles could become difficult to control. He urged the community to process travellers quickly and keep trucks moving to avoid further security risks.
At the border post, Chief Superintendent Mohammed Abdul Mananu recounted how two officers had tried to stop a tricycle carrying dynamite, leading to the explosion that sparked the ensuing violence. The incident prompted an angry mob to besiege the immigration office, hurling stones and burning tyres before military and police reinforcements arrived and gunfire erupted, injuring 11 residents.
Assembly Member for the Happa Electoral Area, Hiller Dyaka Thomas Badukun III, described the curfew’s crippling effect on local businesses and cross‑border trade. Chairman of the Hamile Development Committee, Ibrahim Mohammed, apologized on behalf of the community and called for the clearance of the massive backlog of cargo trucks stranded at the border.
Basintale addressed the community’s concerns about unapproved bush routes used by smugglers to traffic weapons and synthetic drugs such as Tramadol. He pledged to transfer overstayed officers and to launch a new “Community Engagement and Policing” initiative for the region. He also promised to recommend lifting the restrictive curfew to the Minister of the Interior by Monday, provided local leaders could guarantee sustained peace.
The visit concluded with a sombre tour of the Mountain Back 2 explosion site, a stark reminder of the fragile line between security operations and tragedy at the border.
