NAIMOS officer shot during anti-galamsey operation in Bono Region; armed assailant killed

One personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has been shot during an anti-galamsey operation in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, along the Subinkurom–Kyeremasu stretch, when a NAIMOS task force team was conducting a routine operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities.

According to NAIMOS, the task force came under attack after armed assailants hiding in nearby bushes opened fire upon sighting the team.

This resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the operatives and the attackers.

During the confrontation, one NAIMOS officer sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh.

The injured officer was immediately rushed to the St. Matthew Catholic Hospital at Ampenkuro, where he is currently receiving treatment and responding positively, officials said.

In the course of the exchange, one of the armed assailants was shot and later pronounced dead on arrival at the same hospital.

The deceased has been identified as Abuu Ibrahim.

In a statement signed by its Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, NAIMOS condemned the attack and reiterated its commitment to the fight against illegal mining, despite what it described as persistent attacks and disruptions to its operations.

The Secretariat further called on the public and all stakeholders to continue supporting its efforts to address illegal mining, which it says poses serious threats to the environment, local communities, and national development.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith