The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has turned over the violent attack on the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and his team in Hwidiem, Ahafo Region, to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.
According to a police statement dated November 3, 2025, the directive stems from a violent confrontation between a mob and the NAIMOS team on Saturday, November 1, 2025, during an operation against illegal miners near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the NAIMOS director and his team arrested several suspected illegal miners and removed dangerous weapons and vehicles from the scene. The items seized included a Smith & Wesson pistol, two other pistols, twenty-one rounds of 9mm ammunition, an unregistered Range Rover, an unregistered Toyota RAV4, and several mobile phones.
However, while the team was on their way to hand over the suspects to the Hwidiem Police, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, allegedly intervened and demanded the suspects be released. When his demand was denied, he allegedly led a mob of about 600 people to attack the NAIMOS team and police officers. The enraged mob stormed the Hwidiem Police Station, vandalizing vehicles, damaging parts of the facility, and threatening to set it on fire.
The Director’s vehicle was also destroyed in the chaos.
The police, military, and the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem worked together to restore calm and allow the NAIMOS team to be evacuated safely. There were no injuries reported, though the Chief’s vehicle was damaged during the incident.
The IGP has since directed the CID Headquarters to take over the investigation and invited the MP to participate in the ongoing probe.
The Asutifi North MP has however refuted the claims by NAIMOS. According to Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, he was rather assisting the task force avoid the mob attack rather than inciting them as asserted upon a request by the Asutifi South MP, Collins Dauda.
Story by: Benedict Wiafe
