A joint night operation by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Blue Water Guards has led to the arrest of eight suspected illegal miners and the seizure of four excavators along the Oda River in the Amansie West District.
The precision raid was carried out on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Mpatasie and Odaho, two galamsey hotspots on the banks of the Oda River, a waterway under sustained threat from illegal mining.
Acting on credible intelligence, the joint team mobilised from the Manso Adubia operational base at about 10:30 p.m. and advanced on the sites under the cover of darkness.
Operatives found several individuals openly engaged in illegal mining close to the roadside and the river.
Eight suspects were arrested at the scene. They are: Bismark Abilla, 23, from Bolgatanga; Michael Donkor, 36, from Tepa; Kuviele Apuo, 23, from Wa; Bernard Akeleyona, 31, from Bolgatanga; Joseph Donkor, 33, from Tepa; Vincent Gyimah, 35, from Odaho; Ebenezer Asare, 26, from Odaho; and Kwame Asaa, 38, from Navrongo.
Seven of the suspects were residents of Odaho, while one lived at Anwia Nkwanta.
A sweep of the area led to the recovery of four excavators and two motorbikes. The excavators include a Sany model retrieved without its monitor and control board, a Hyundai model with both components intact, an XCMG model with only its control board, and another Hyundai model missing both the monitor and control board.
NAIMOS noted that three of the four machines had key electronic components detached, a common tactic used by galamsey operators to avoid immediate reuse after seizure.
The two motorbikes were taken to the taskforce holding area at Manso Adubia.
All eight suspects have been handed over to the Antoa Krom Police Station for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The four excavators have been transported to the NAIMOS equipment holding base in Kumasi.
The Secretariat said the operation confirms the effectiveness of joint deployments between NAIMOS and the Blue Water Guards, especially along riverine corridors.
“The cover of darkness offers no sanctuary to offenders,” NAIMOS stated, adding that operatives will continue to pursue active mining enclaves “at every hour of the day and night until the integrity of the Oda River and the wider Amansie West landscape is fully restored.”
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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Source:
opemsuo.com