The Eastern South Regional Police Command has arrested five individuals accused of posing as officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to extort money from miners operating in parts of the Eastern Region.
The suspects have been identified as Moses Tapiam (43), Christopher Amakor (29), Casimir Nunekpeku (29), Wisdom Miwonuko (35), and Paul Agbanu (53). They were arrested on Friday, January 2, 2026, following reports that they had been visiting mining sites at Akwadum in the Abuakwa South Municipality, near Kibi, while falsely presenting themselves as NAIMOS operatives.
According to police, the men allegedly wore security-style uniforms and demanded money from miners under the pretense of enforcing anti-illegal mining regulations. Their activities raised suspicion, leading to their arrest.
The suspects were apprehended by genuine NAIMOS officers while travelling in a Mitsubishi 4×4 pick-up vehicle with registration number GS 536–25. They were subsequently handed over to the Eastern South Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Kibi for further investigations.
In a statement, the police cautioned the public that impersonation of security or state officials is a serious criminal offence under Ghanaian law. The Command urged miners and community members to verify the identity of officials before cooperating with enforcement operations and to promptly report suspicious conduct to the nearest police station.
The five men are currently in police custody assisting with investigations and are expected to be arraigned before court in the coming days.
NAIMOS is the state body mandated to coordinate operations against illegal mining (galamsey), which continues to pose significant environmental and security challenges in many mining communities across the country.
Source: Africa Publicity
