Source: Africa Publicity
An officer of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has been shot, while one armed assailant was killed during a violent confrontation in the Bono Region of Ghana on Tuesday, 20th January 2026.
According to a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, “a member of its task force was shot in the thigh by armed assailants during a routine anti-galamsey operation.”
The incident occurred “in a bush along the Subinkurom–Kyeremasu stretch in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region,” the statement said.
It explained that “the armed thugs, who were hiding in the bushes, opened fire on sighting the NAIMOS task force,” triggering “an exchange of gunfire, during which one NAIMOS personnel sustained a gunshot injury.”
The wounded officer was “swiftly rushed to the St. Matthew Catholic Hospital at Ampenkuro, where he is currently responding to treatment.”
During the exchange, one of the attackers was killed. “Meanwhile, one of the assailants who opened fire on the NAIMOS task force was shot dead during the exchanges,” the statement noted. The deceased was identified as Abuu Ibrahim and was “pronounced dead on arrival at the St. Matthew Catholic Hospital.”
Despite the attack, NAIMOS reaffirmed its resolve to continue operations against illegal mining. The Secretariat “wishes to assure that despite the persistent attacks and disruptions, it remains committed to fighting the scourge of illegal mining and urges all stakeholders to continue with support for its operations.”
The statement was signed by Paa Kwesi Schandorf, a Media Relations Officer at the Lands Ministry.
