The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah has condemned the attack on some members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) during an operation at Bronikrom, near Hwediem in the Ahafo Region.
This is contained in a press release signed by the Ministry’s media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, on November 2.
“The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has taken note of the recent attack on some members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) during an operation at Bronikrom near Hwediem in the Ahafo Region.
Having been adequately briefed on the matter, the Minister strongly condemns the incident, which occurred on Saturday, 1st November 2025,” Mr Schandorf wrote.
He added that, “Subsequently, the Minister has held meetings with the Speaker of Parliament and the Minister for the Interior for the conduct of swift and rigorous investigations into the unfortunate circumstances. This is in line with government’s commitment to bring to book all perpetrators who aid, support, or front the continuous decimation of the environment.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to immediately take over the investigation into the violent attack on the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and his team at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
In connection with the incident, the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has been invited to assist with the ongoing investigation. The MP is alleged to have incited a mob and obstructed the NAIMOS team’s operations.
Preliminary police investigation indicates that the incident began on Saturday, November 1, 2025, when the NAIMOS Director and his team intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested several suspects.
Exhibits retrieved from the suspects were reported to include a side-hang bag containing one Smith & Wesson pistol, two pistol magazines, 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition, an unregistered Range Rover, an unregistered Toyota RAV4 vehicle, and several mobile phones.
According to the Police statement, while the NAIMOS team was preparing to hand over the suspects at the Hwidiem Police Station, the MP reportedly arrived with a group of men and demanded the suspects’ release. When the demand was refused, the group forcibly removed the suspects’ handcuffs and chased the NAIMOS team from the scene.
The situation escalated when a mob numbering about 600, allegedly incited by the MP, later besieged the Hwidiem Police Station, demanding the release of the arrested miners and the seized vehicles. The enraged crowd vandalized the NAIMOS Director’s vehicle, damaged parts of the police station, and threatened to set the facility ablaze.
Reinforcement teams from the Ahafo Regional Command were swiftly deployed to the scene to restore order. Calm was eventually achieved through the joint efforts of the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, who mediated the situation and facilitated the safe evacuation of the NAIMOS team. The Chief’s vehicle was reportedly damaged during the process, but no injuries were reported among personnel.
The Ghana Police Service issued a strong condemnation of the attack, cautioning the public against any interference with law enforcement operations. The statement, signed by Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Director-General of Public Affairs, added that a special operation has been launched to identify and arrest all perpetrators to face the full rigors of the law.
IGP DIRECTS CID HEADQUARTERS TO TAKE OVER INVESTIGATION INTO ATTACK ON NAIMOS
