At least five people have reportedly been killed following a violent confrontation between personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and residents of Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
Two NAIMOS personnel also sustained gunshot wounds during the Wednesday, November 11, incident, according to a statement issued by the Secretariat.
While initial reports put the civilian death toll at three, sources familiar with the incident have told this paper that the number has risen to five.
The circumstances surrounding the additional reported fatalities, however, remain unclear.
The confrontation reportedly occurred when a NAIMOS task force was transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation from the area to a designated location for safekeeping.
Preliminary accounts suggest that some residents and suspected illegal miners attempted to obstruct the movement of the seized equipment, reportedly blocking the road and pelting the task force’s vehicles with stones, smashing the windscreens of some of them.
In its account of the incident, NAIMOS said its personnel encountered an armed mob that attempted to prevent them from moving the excavators.
The Secretariat said its officers fired warning shots to disperse the crowd and prevent the situation from escalating.
However, two of its personnel sustained gunshot wounds during the confrontation, which the Secretariat said claimed the lives of three civilians.
The identities of the deceased, the nature of the injuries sustained by other individuals and the circumstances leading to the reported deaths remain unclear.
NAIMOS Condemns Attack
The Secretariat has condemned the incident, warning individuals and groups against obstructing its personnel in the discharge of their duties.
It described attacks, threats and other forms of violent resistance against its operations as unacceptable, insisting that such conduct would not be tolerated.
NAIMOS reaffirmed its commitment to combating illegal mining and said it would continue its enforcement operations across the country despite acts of intimidation and resistance.
The incident comes amid growing tensions surrounding anti-galamsey enforcement operations, with concerns being raised about the conduct of security personnel and the use of force during raids.
