The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained campaign against illegal mining, following the arrest of four armed suspects at an illicit mining site in Anbanzie, within the Nzema East District of the Western Region.
The intelligence-driven operation was carried out on Monday, 9 February 2026, between 6:00pm and 8:30pm, after credible information pointed to ongoing illegal mining activities in the area. The carefully coordinated night raid led to the successful disruption and destruction of the illegal mining site.
Upon approaching the location, NAIMOS operatives were met with fierce resistance from a group of about fifteen (15) individuals, armed with cutlasses and reportedly wearing cowries around their bodies. The group attempted to block the taskforce convoy from accessing the site and launched an aggressive attack on the operatives as they lawfully carried out their mandate.
Despite the provocation, the taskforce responded with professionalism, tactical discipline, and restraint, swiftly overpowering the attackers. Four suspects were arrested, while the remaining assailants fled into nearby bushes. The taskforce subsequently secured the area and dismantled the illegal mining infrastructure, effectively bringing all operations at the site to a halt.
The arrested suspects were identified as:
1. Massawudu Alhassan – 34 years
2. Zuberu Ahmidu – 32 years
3. William Boateng – 28 years
4. Ernest Abeka – 22 years
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects formed part of a larger, organized security network recruited by the owner of the illegal mining site to protect the unlawful operation. The suspects disclosed that approximately twenty-eight (28) armed thugs had been engaged for this purpose, reinforcing the increasingly coordinated and criminal nature of illegal mining activities.
The arrested suspects have since been handed over to the Salma Police Station to assist with further investigations and prosecution in accordance with the law.
NAIMOS restated its unwavering commitment to protecting Ghana’s environment and natural resources, assuring the public that the fight against illegal mining will continue relentlessly until such activities are completely eradicated.