The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), has dismantled a major illegal mining network operating deep within the Oda River Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
The intelligence-led operation, conducted on October 23, 2025, led to the arrest of several illegal miners and nine armed impostors who were posing as National Security operatives.
According to NAIMOS, the impostors were dressed in khaki uniforms and claimed to be acting under the command of a so-called “Major Jabari.” A search on them uncovered a pistol with three rounds of ammunition, a toy pistol, a pump-action shotgun, cartridges, and handcuffs — all of which were seized as exhibits.
During the operation, NAIMOS operatives also intercepted individuals who attempted to bribe officers with GH₵120,000 for the release of the detained miners. The suspects were immediately arrested for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers.
Further investigations revealed that the illegal miners had built a makeshift settlement within the forest, with wooden structures and tents serving as operational bases. The task force destroyed these structures and equipment to prevent reoccupation.
NAIMOS reported that the operation exposed massive environmental destruction, including deforestation and severe water pollution in the forest reserve.
Director of Operations, Colonel Dominic Buah, lauded the joint enforcement effort, describing it as “a model of inter-agency cooperation and enforcement excellence.”
“No individual, group, or impostor will be allowed to exploit Ghana’s natural resources with impunity,”
Colonel Buah declared. “Through sustained partnerships with the Regional Security Councils, NAIMOS will continue to identify, dismantle, and neutralize illegal mining operations across the country to protect our forests and water bodies for future generations.”
The operation marks a significant step in the government’s renewed campaign to reclaim degraded forest reserves and intensify the fight against illegal mining nationwide.
