The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Squad (NAIMOS) has captured one of Ghana’s most wanted illegal mining operators, Iddrisu Zakari, better known as Yaayaa. His arrest took place on the evening of Monday, November 10, 2025, at Bonsu, marking a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on galamsey activities in the Eastern Region.
According to reports, Zakari was apprehended after he unknowingly fell into a police trap. He had agreed to meet NAIMOS operatives to negotiate the release of his detained men and to discuss the possibility of halting investigations into his mining operations.
This arrest comes just days after NAIMOS stormed his illegal mining site in the Osino Residential Area on Friday night, November 7, 2025. During that raid, authorities detained 36 individuals, including 32 Nigerien nationals and four Ghanaian guards armed with machetes who were allegedly providing security for Zakari’s operations.
Following his arrest, Zakari was transferred into the custody of the Ghana Police Service to assist with further investigations into his network and activities.
The development has been hailed as another major step in the fight against illegal mining, which continues to pose serious threats to Ghana’s environment and water bodies.
