The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has said its taskforce acted in self-defence during an armed confrontation on Wednesday, November 11, which resulted in the deaths of three suspected miners.
The incident also left two NAIMOS personnel seriously injured, according to the Secretariat’s spokesperson, Paa Kwesi Schandorf.
3News reported the confrontation from Dome Keniago and the wounded operatives the same day.
Speaking on the incident, in an interview, Schandorf said the taskforce was confronted by a mob during an operation, prompting its personnel to fire warning shots in an attempt to disperse the crowd and de-escalate the situation.
He said the crowd remained aggressive and continued to attack the taskforce, forcing the personnel to respond in self-defence.
“Two of the NAIMOS personnel, as we speak, are confirmed seriously injured, but of course, they are receiving treatment. That was the outcome of an armed confrontation during an operation today,” he said.
“We can confirm that three persons have lost their lives, unfortunately. That happened because they confronted the NAIMOS taskforce. Indeed, they actually cornered the NAIMOS taskforce. It was a mob that descended on the NAIMOS taskforce,” he added.
Schandorf explained that the taskforce initially resorted to warning shots to disperse the crowd but was compelled to take further action after the group allegedly persisted in attacking its personnel.
“The taskforce initially fired warning shots to disperse them and de-escalate the situation, but they were determined and insistent on exacting [violence] on the NAIMOS taskforce. That is what compelled NAIMOS, under the circumstances, in the interest of self-defence, to deter them, and that is how come three have unfortunately lost their lives,” he stated.
The two injured personnel are currently receiving medical attention.
Meanwhile, Nana Obeng Mensah Ababio II, the chief of Manso Keniago, has disagreed that angry residents attacked NAIMOS.
He rejected that version at a media address on Thursday.
“I want to put it on record that residents of Manso Keniago did not attack NAIMOS first. It was NAIMOS officials who attacked them first… I am backed by the gods, and I cannot lie,” he said.
He said he had engaged the security personnel after seeing an excavator being moved.
A statement from the traditional authorities and residents, signed by Krontihene Nana Boateng and youth representative Bernard Ntiamoah, said the excavator was not seized in the town, and that residents only questioned why it was driven along a tarred government road.
It alleged the chief was assaulted and shots fired at his vehicle, and asked President John Dramani Mahama and the Inspector-General of Police to investigate independently.
“We are not against the fight against illegal mining, but we firmly oppose any unlawful use of force against innocent citizens,” it said.
