A major anti-illegal mining operation in the Western Region has led to the arrest of 49 suspected illegal miners following an armed ambush on a National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce team stationed in Nzema East.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, when a NAIMOS operations team came under gunfire from suspected illegal miners actively operating within the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) plantation.
According to NAIMOS, the assailants fired multiple rounds from pump-action weapons at one of the taskforce’s Zonda pickup vehicles. The operatives, however, executed a tactical withdrawal without sustaining casualties.
The attack triggered an immediate intelligence-led operation to identify the perpetrators and recover the weapons used.
Acting on credible intelligence, NAIMOS launched a coordinated cordon-and-search operation in the early hours of Thursday at Adiewoso and surrounding communities in the Ahanta West District.
The dawn swoop, conducted within the GREL plantation enclave, resulted in the arrest of 49 suspects and the recovery of a pump-action firearm. Operatives also seized more than GH¢226,000 in cash believed to be proceeds from illegal mining activities.
In total, 114 individuals were initially apprehended and taken to the Adiewoso Community Centre for screening, identification and interrogation.
Following verification, 49 persons were positively identified as suspected illegal miners. Eight others were confirmed as casual workers of GREL, while 12 were identified as senior high school students. The remaining detainees, made up of artisans and other local residents, were released after being cleared of any direct involvement.
NAIMOS further disclosed that three of the suspects are foreign nationals — Abdul Karim from Niger, and Nash Ishaku and Eliyasu Sie, both from Burkina Faso.
Additional items recovered during the operation included GH¢140,000 discovered in a Toyota Raize belonging to one Daniel Avoka, as well as GH¢86,710 and two containers of small ball-like substances wrapped in paper and suspected to be gold, found in a white Toyota Hilux.
The owner of the Hilux, Ebenezer Cobbinah, was arrested and is assisting with ongoing investigations.
Operatives also confiscated quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, together with cartons of cigarettes believed to be linked to the illegal mining operation.
A joint team made up of GREL management and officers from the Agona Ahanta Police Command participated in the exercise to help distinguish legitimate plantation workers from suspected illegal miners.
All verified GREL employees were released, while the 49 suspects have been handed over to the Agona Divisional Police Command for further investigations and possible prosecution.
NAIMOS described the operation as a clear demonstration of its resolve to clamp down on illegal mining activities, particularly within legally acquired concessions.
The Secretariat stressed that acts of armed resistance or intimidation would not deter its operatives from enforcing the law and protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
“NAIMOS remains committed to safeguarding the nation’s productive lands and ensuring all offenders are brought to justice,” the statement said.
