The Eastern South Regional Police Command has arrested five suspects for allegedly impersonating officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and extorting money from miners in the Abuakwa South Municipality.
The suspects, identified as Moses Tapiam (43), Christopher Amakor (29), Casimir Nunekpeku (29), Wisdom Miwonuko (35), and Paul Agbanu (53), were taken into police custody on Friday, January 2, 2026, at Akwadum near Kibi.
According to a police statement issued on January 3 and signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) David Fianko Okyere of the Public Affairs Unit, the suspects were dressed in security uniforms, including khaki trousers, military boots and desert boots, while claiming to be NAIMOS operatives from Accra.
Police reports indicate the suspects were moving from one mining site to another at Akwadum, allegedly extorting money from miners under the guise of enforcing anti-galamsey operations. The fraudulent scheme was uncovered when a legitimate NAIMOS team encountered the suspects during routine operations in the area.
The genuine NAIMOS operatives arrested the suspects at Akwadum while they were traveling in a Mitsubishi 4×4 pickup vehicle with registration number GS 536-25. The vehicle and suspects were subsequently handed over to the Eastern South Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Kibi for further investigation.
The arrests highlight growing concerns about criminal elements exploiting Ghana’s intensified anti-galamsey campaign to defraud miners and mining communities. NAIMOS, established as a dedicated task force to combat illegal mining, has been conducting sweeping operations across multiple regions since its formation in 2025.
The impersonation scheme involved suspects presenting themselves as authorized anti-galamsey enforcement officers, leveraging the heightened climate of mining regulation to extract payments from vulnerable miners operating in the Eastern Region’s gold-rich areas.
Police have cautioned members of the public, especially individuals who impersonate security officers, to desist from such acts, describing impersonation as a criminal offence under Ghana’s laws. The Eastern South Regional Police Command assured the public that anyone found holding themselves out as security officials without lawful authority will be arrested and prosecuted.
The five suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations and will be arraigned before court in due course. Police have not disclosed the amounts allegedly extorted from miners or whether additional suspects remain at large.
NAIMOS has been tasked with cracking down on illegal mining activities across Ghana, which cause severe environmental destruction through water pollution and land degradation. The task force operates with full backing from President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, which has declared galamsey a form of terrorism and vowed a relentless war against perpetrators.
Since its establishment, NAIMOS has conducted operations across the Eastern, Central, Ashanti, Western and Bono regions, seizing excavators, arresting illegal miners and burning illegal mining camps. The operations have also encountered violent resistance, including a November 2025 incident at Hwidiem in the Bono Region where approximately 600 people allegedly incited by Asutifi North Member of Parliament Ebenezer Kwaku Addo besieged a police station demanding the release of arrested miners.
The January shootout at the AngloGold Ashanti mining site in Obuasi, where seven illegal miners were killed during a confrontation with military personnel, underscores the volatile environment in which NAIMOS operates. Similar violent clashes occurred at Asanko Gold Limited in September 2025, resulting in property destruction and loss of life.
The Eastern Region, particularly areas around Kibi and Akwadum in the Abuakwa South Municipality, has long been associated with both legal and illegal mining activities due to its rich mineral deposits. The region hosts numerous small scale mining operations alongside major commercial mining companies.
Recent enforcement actions in the Eastern Region include NAIMOS arrests at Pankese in Birim North for illegal mining activities. The task force’s intensified operations have generated both public appreciation for protecting Ghana’s environment and concerns about the methods employed during enforcement.
The impersonation arrests serve as a reminder that Ghana’s anti-galamsey campaign faces challenges not only from actual illegal miners but also from opportunistic criminals seeking to exploit the regulatory environment. Police investigations continue to determine whether the suspects have previous criminal records or connections to actual illegal mining operations.
The Eastern South Regional Police Command has urged miners and mining communities to verify the credentials of individuals claiming to represent NAIMOS or other security agencies before complying with demands for payments or other actions. Legitimate NAIMOS operations are conducted by officially designated personnel with proper identification and authorization.
