The convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ken Ashigbey, has urged the government to assert its authority following the violent attack on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) during an operation at Bronikrom, near Hwediem in the Ahafo Region.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has ordered swift investigations into the attack, describing it as unacceptable and a direct affront to law enforcement. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has also directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to conduct a detailed probe into the circumstances surrounding the assault.
Speaking on the incident on Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, November 3, Ashigbey said, “The state needs to demonstrate that it has the power. The state should not demonstrate weakness otherwise what will happen is that these criminal elements would all go all out and they will overrun us.”
The attack, which occurred on Saturday, November 1, 2025, saw the NAIMOS Director and his team confronted by suspected illegal miners while carrying out an operation. Police confirmed that several suspects were arrested, and key items, including a Smith & Wesson pistol, ammunition, two pistol magazines, an unregistered Range Rover, an unregistered Toyota RAV4, and mobile phones, were retrieved from the scene.
Ashigbey described the incident as “despicable” and expressed support for the calls from the police, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to ensure accountability.
“Fortunately for us there are video footages … If you look at the statement by NAIMOS it looks as if this was not one of their operations that they go where they are fully armed, it was a recce that they were doing to be able to position a permanent team in a particular space.
“So for us to get community members whether they were incited by who or what, the investigation should be able to prove but there is adequate evidence for us to prosecute everybody that is found,” he said.
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