NAIMOS confirms discharge of two personnel injured in Manso Keniago clash

Two personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), who sustained gunshot wounds during a confrontation at Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region, have been treated and discharged from hospital. The incident occurred on November 11, while a NAIMOS task force was transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation to a designated location for safekeeping.

Confirming their recovery, NAIMOS spokesperson, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, said both officers had received medical attention and were in stable condition. “The two NAIMOS personnel who were injured in yesterday’s clash have been treated and discharged. Their conditions remain stable,” he said. The discharge of the two officers comes amid reports that the confrontation claimed six lives and left several others injured.

The clash reportedly stemmed from disagreements over the transportation of the seized excavators, with some residents and traditional authorities objecting to the decision to move the equipment through the community along a tarred road. The situation reportedly escalated when an armed group resisted the movement of the machinery, prompting NAIMOS personnel to fire warning shots, which the Secretariat said were intended to disperse the mob and prevent further escalation.

However, the confrontation resulted in the deaths of three people and gunshot injuries to two NAIMOS personnel, while residents have accused the task force of initiating the violence. READ ALSO: Tensions rise in Manso Keniago as angry youth confront chief, accuse DCE over six deaths In its account of the incident, the Secretariat said its task force encountered an armed mob that attempted to obstruct the movement of the seized equipment.

The officers reportedly fired warning shots to deter the group and prevent further escalation, but two personnel sustained gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, NAIMOS, in a statement issued on November 11, condemned the attack and cautioned individuals and groups against obstructing its personnel in the discharge of their duties. It described attacks, threats and other forms of violent resistance against its operations as unacceptable, insisting that such actions would not be tolerated.

The Secretariat also reaffirmed its commitment to combating illegal mining, stressing that it would continue undertaking enforcement operations across the country despite acts of intimidation and resistance.