Western Region: 49 suspected illegal miners arrested after engaging NAIMOS taskforce in shootout at Adiewoso

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has responded decisively to illegal mining syndicates operating within the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) plantation at Adiewoso in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region in a dawn operation on Thursday 30 April 2026.

The operation led to the arrest of forty-nine suspected illegal miners, recovering one pump action firearm, and seizing in excess of two hundred and twenty-six thousand (226,000) Ghana cedis in cash believed to be proceeds of unlawful mining.

The NAIMOS operation was triggered by a reckless ambush launched by some illegal miners on NAIMOS operatives stationed in Nzema East, who came under sustained fire from a group of armed illegal miners who were observed actively engaged in unlawful mining within the GREL plantation on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

The assailants discharged multiple rounds from pump action weapons at one of the taskforce's Zonda pickup vehicles, an action that required prompt response by NAIMOS to deter future occurrence.

The NAIMOS personnel managed to withdraw tactically without sustaining casualties, but the brazen attack set in motion an immediate intelligence gathering exercise aimed at identifying the perpetrators and recovering the weapons used.

Consequently, acting on credible intelligence, NAIMOS executed a meticulously planned cordon and search operation at Adiewoso and its surrounding communities in the early hours of Thursday, between 0330 and 0430 hours.

Following this operation, a total of one hundred and fourteen (114) individuals were apprehended and conveyed to the Adiewoso Community Centre for screening, identification, and interviewing.

Following thorough verification, forty-nine (49) of those screened were positively identified as suspected illegal miners operating within the GREL plantation.

Eight (8) were confirmed as casual workers of GREL residing in the community, while twelve (12) were found to be senior high school students. The remainder comprised artisans and other local residents with no direct involvement in illegal mining activities.

Three (3) of the arrested suspects were established to be foreign nationals, namely Abdul Karim of Niger, and Nash Ishaku and Eliyasu Sie, both of Burkina Faso.

The comprehensive search operation also yielded substantial recoveries. NAIMOS operatives retrieved one pump action gun, a sum of GH₵140,000 found in a Toyota Raize belonging to one Daniel Avoka, and an additional GH₵86,710 alongside two containers of small ball-like substances wrapped in paper and suspected to be gold, all recovered from a white Toyota Hilux.

The owner of the Hilux, Ebenezer Cobbinah, was arrested at the scene and is currently assisting with ongoing investigations. Quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, together with cartons of cigarettes believed to be linked to the illegal mining operations, were also seized.

A joint team comprising management of GREL and officers from the Agona Ahanta Police Command joined the operation on the ground to assist in distinguishing genuine plantation workers from suspects.

All individuals confirmed as legitimate employees of GREL were duly exonerated and released. The forty nine (49) suspected illegal miners were subsequently segregated and handed over to the Agona Divisional Police Command for further investigation.

The Adiewoso operation reaffirms the resolve of NAIMOS to confront illegal mining in all its manifestations, particularly where it threatens lawful concessions, the livelihoods of legitimate workers, and the structural integrity of the nation's productive land.

The Secretariat assured the public that no measure of intimidation or armed resistance will deter its operatives from executing the national mandate to protect Ghana's natural resources and bring offenders to lawful account.

Source: NAIMOS