NAIMOS Overpowers Armed ‘Machomen’ at Osibo; Two Cry After Clash, Owner Runs Away

Four suspected illegal mining guards have been arrested after the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Taskforce stormed a galamsey site at Osibo Town in the Eastern Region.

The suspects, who were reportedly carrying machetes, allegedly attempted to resist the taskforce as officers moved to take control of the mining site. The resistance was eventually brought under control, with the four men arrested. Photographs from the scene showed two of them visibly crying after being detained.

The operation was reported by journalist Erastus Asare Donkor on Facebook and forms part of the government’s continuing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining across Ghana.

The arrested men were reportedly acting as guards at the site and are locally known as “machomen.” They were allegedly protecting the illegal mining operation when the NAIMOS team arrived.

After a short confrontation, the taskforce managed to subdue the men and secure the area. Reports indicate that the person believed to own the illegal mining operation escaped and is currently being pursued by authorities.

The operation comes shortly after an attack on the NAIMOS Director of Operations and his team at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.

The earlier incident reportedly resulted in damage to several vehicles and temporarily forced the taskforce members to withdraw from the area. Following the attack, the Inspector-General of Police directed the CID Headquarters to assume responsibility for investigating the matter.

Graphic Online reported that the Hwidiem confrontation began when NAIMOS personnel intercepted suspected illegal miners near Bronikrom.

Tensions reportedly increased after Asutifi North MP Ebenezer Kwaku Addo allegedly stepped in and demanded that the detained miners be released. Later, a crowd of roughly 600 people reportedly surrounded the Hwidiem Police Station, damaged property and attempted to secure the release of the suspects.

The successful operation at Osibo Town has therefore been interpreted by some observers as a demonstration that NAIMOS is continuing its operations despite the confrontation at Hwidiem.

NAIMOS has recently carried out raids in several galamsey-prone areas in the Western, Eastern and Ashanti regions. The operations have included the dismantling of illegal mining sites, arrests of suspected miners and the confiscation of machinery allegedly being used without proper registration.

The Secretariat was established earlier this year under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with the responsibility of coordinating Ghana’s national campaign against illegal mining.