A tense situation unfolded in Hwidiem, Ahafo Region, after a group of nine Ghana Armed Forces officers became targets of an angry crowd, prompting a swift police rescue.
A video circulating online shows armed officers forming a protective barrier around the military personnel as they were escorted from the Hwidiem Police Station. In the footage, five soldiers are seen being guided into a packed 4×4 vehicle, whose rear windscreen had been smashed by the mob during the scuffle. Police reinforcements were heard warning the crowd to step back while attempting to secure the officers.
Reports indicate the soldiers had discovered an illegal mining site at Bronikrom, where they arrested the site owner, seized two vehicles, confiscated mobile phones, and recovered two pistols. They also destroyed some wooden structures and mining equipment belonging to the operator.
The actions angered more than 600 locals, who stormed the Hwidiem Police Station demanding the immediate release of the confiscated vehicles and requesting that the soldiers be handed over for “discipline.” The mob vandalized a Toyota Hilux pick-up belonging to the National Inter-Ministerial Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Squad (NAIMOS), shattering its windscreen.
Police reinforcements from the Regional Headquarters arrived to de-escalate the situation. Seven male and one female soldier were at the charge office, while two others remained under police protection at the CID office. As tensions grew and a power outage heightened the risk, the military, police, and Zongo Chief Zarikyi Mohammed Bashiru agreed to release the vehicle keys to calm the crowd.
The Zongo Chief also offered his Toyota Sequoia to transport the soldiers to safety. Despite this, the rescue operation saw the vehicle damaged by the crowd before the military officers were successfully evacuated.
The incident underscores the dangers faced by security personnel in regions affected by illegal mining and the need for coordinated action to prevent confrontations between law enforcement and local communities.
