Two people have been killed and two personnel of the National Anti Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) have sustained gunshot wounds following a violent confrontation involving residents, suspected illegal miners and an anti galamsey task force at Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The deadly incident occurred on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, when NAIMOS personnel encountered an armed group while transporting excavators seized during an anti illegal mining operation to a designated location for safekeeping.
Preliminary accounts indicate that tensions escalated after some residents and suspected illegal miners allegedly attempted to obstruct the movement of the confiscated equipment. The group reportedly blocked the roadway and pelted vehicles belonging to the task force with stones, smashing the windscreens of some of the vehicles.
The confrontation subsequently turned violent, leaving two civilians dead and two NAIMOS officers with gunshot injuries. However, the precise circumstances surrounding the fatalities, including how the victims sustained their injuries, remain unclear.
In a statement addressing the incident, NAIMOS said its personnel encountered an armed group that attempted to prevent the transportation of the seized excavators. The Secretariat explained that officers discharged warning shots in an effort to disperse the gathering and avert further escalation.
However, the confrontation resulted in gunshot injuries to two members of the enforcement team, while two civilians lost their lives. The Secretariat condemned the attack and warned against attempts by individuals or groups to obstruct its personnel while carrying out their lawful responsibilities.
It described physical assaults, threats and other forms of violent resistance against its operations as unacceptable, stressing that such conduct would not deter the task force from fulfilling its mandate.
NAIMOS reaffirmed its determination to intensify enforcement activities against illegal mining across the country, despite the threats and resistance encountered by its personnel.
The latest incident raises further concerns about the security risks confronting anti illegal mining operations, particularly in communities where attempts to retrieve confiscated equipment have triggered confrontations.
Meanwhile, important questions remain unanswered, including the identities of the two deceased civilians, the precise circumstances in which they were shot, who discharged the fatal gunfire and whether any arrests have been made.
Further clarification from the Ghana Police Service and other relevant security authorities is expected as investigations into the deadly confrontation continue.
