Deadly Confrontation Erupts Between NAIMOS Military Operatives and Residents Over Seized Excavator in Manso Keniago

Panic and grief have engulfed Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region following a violent confrontation between local residents and military personnel purporting to be members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), which has reportedly left at least two people dead and several others injured.

According to eyewitness accounts recounted to local reporters, the deadly incident began on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after the military taskforce confiscated an excavator during an anti-illegal mining operation. Trouble started when the security personnel attempted to drive the tracked heavy machinery directly along the newly tarred public road rather than transporting it on a carrier.

Concerned that the metal tracks would destroy the road infrastructure, traditional leaders and community members approached the officers to advise them to load the excavator onto a low-bed truck instead. Witnesses indicated that the suggestion sparked a heated argument between the soldiers and the residents, escalating rapidly until the armed operatives began firing warning shots to disperse the gathering crowd.

During the chaotic exchange, stray bullets reportedly struck several bystanders, resulting in the deaths of two residents and leaving multiple others nursing gunshot wounds.

Confirming the outbreak of gunfire, the Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Charles Oduro, stated that repeated bursts of gunshots forced residents to flee for cover, leaving him unable to step outside his residence to immediately verify the exact casualty count. He noted that community members had contacted him via phone to report deaths and injuries, adding that the entire town had been thrown into disarray as fearful residents abandoned the streets for safety.

Military authorities and leadership at the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat are expected to issue an official response and launch a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.

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