On Saturday, November 1, 2025, the Director of Operations for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), accompanied by ten military personnel, conducted a scouting mission in the Ahafo Region. The goal was to identify a suitable location for a permanent NAIMOS field task force to strengthen the fight against illegal mining.
While traveling along the Goaso-Hwidiem highway, the team spotted an excavator actively engaged in mining near Bronikrom. They intercepted the operators, instructing them to refill the pits to prevent environmental damage. During the arrests, one suspect contacted the site owner, who initially claimed to be a Defence Intelligence representative. Another man, named Alex, arrived in a Toyota RAV4 claiming ownership, followed by a third individual in a Range Rover, who was also apprehended. The team burned down illegal structures used by the miners.
A search of the suspects’ vehicles uncovered a Smith and Wesson pistol, two magazines with 21 rounds of ammunition, twelve mobile phones, cash totaling 11,000 Ghana cedis, a power bank, a black side bag, and a Lexus ignition key.
The operation took a dangerous turn when Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, appeared on the scene with several associates. He demanded the immediate release of the arrested suspects, including a Burkinabe national, and ordered the removal of their handcuffs. The Director refused to comply, insisting the arrests followed legal procedures. Tensions escalated as the MP and his group forcibly removed the handcuffs and chased the NAIMOS team toward the Hwidiem Police Station.
At the station, around 600 residents from Hwidiem and surrounding areas had gathered, incited by the MP, demanding the release of the suspects and seized vehicles. The mob vandalized the Director’s Toyota Hilux pickup and threatened to burn down the station, creating a severe threat to life and property.
Police reinforcements led by Chief Superintendent Prince Odom-Koduah, Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, arrived with a 15-member Regional Task Force, alongside other senior officers including Superintendent John Atanga and Superintendent Opoku Yamoah. Despite their presence, tensions remained high. The Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, Alhaji Mohammed Bashiru Zarikyi, intervened, urging the crowd to stay calm.
With nightfall and a power outage compounding the risk, authorities agreed to release the keys to the seized vehicles to defuse the situation. The Zongo Chief offered his Toyota Sequoia to safely evacuate Colonel Buah, the NAIMOS Director, and his team to the Newmont site in Kenyase under police escort. During the evacuation, the soldiers were physically attacked, and the vehicle’s rear windscreen was shattered, though thankfully no one was injured.
The Director described the MPs’ interference as a serious obstruction of NAIMOS operations, emphasizing that the fight against illegal mining requires the support of all citizens, especially influential figures, rather than actions that shield offenders or incite chaos.
NAIMOS officials were safely evacuated due to the professionalism of the police and the Director’s crisis management. The Secretariat reiterated its commitment to combating illegal mining, warning perpetrators to desist from obstructive acts in the future, and pledging continued efforts to protect Ghana’s forests, waterways, and mining spaces.
