Crackdown on Illegal Mining: NAIMOS leads decisive operation at Oda River Forest Reserve, dismantles illegal mining network, and arrests armed imposters

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in close coordination with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), has carried out a successful and intelligence-driven operation that dismantled entrenched illegal mining networks within the Oda River Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.

On 23rd October 2025, the elite NAIMOS Taskforce, working jointly with operatives from the Ashanti Regional Security and with some logistical support from the Ashanti REGSEC, launched a coordinated mission that resulted in the arrest of some illegal miners and nine (9) armed imposters posing as National Security operatives.

The operation, meticulously planned jointly by NAIMOS Headquarters and the Ashanti REGSEC, was aimed at restoring law and order in one of Ghana’s most environmentally degraded reserves. NAIMOS deployed three tactical teams across the forest to secure access routes and apprehend suspects. Acting on credible intelligence from local informants, operatives intercepted several illegal miners attempting to flee the reserve on motorbikes. Fifteen were arrested after admitting that they had been warned about the taskforce’s approach.

During the operation, NAIMOS officers also encountered nine armed men dressed in khaki uniforms who falsely identified themselves as National Security personnel. Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to be acting under the command of a certain Major Jabari. A search of the men uncovered one pistol with three rounds of ammunition, one toy pistol, one pump-action shotgun with three cartridges, two handcuffs, and eight pouches, all of which were seized as exhibits for further investigation.

In a separate development, NAIMOS intelligence operatives foiled an attempted bribery by individuals who arrived in a Toyota Tundra and a Ram pickup, claiming they were associates of the arrested illegal miners. The men approached the taskforce under the pretext of “greeting” the officers and “pleading” for the release of their associates. During the engagement, they offered GH₵100,000 as a bribe and an additional GH₵20,000 as “chop money.” The operatives, acting with tactical restraint and professionalism, feigned interest before arresting the suspects for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers.

Following the arrests, the taskforce proceeded deeper into the Oda River Forest Reserve to assess the extent of environmental damage. The once reclaimed forest, previously replanted with trees and palm trees, had been severely destroyed by renewed illegal mining. Vast tracts of land were found degraded, vegetation cleared, and water bodies heavily polluted.

Further inspection revealed that illegal miners had established a makeshift settlement deep within the reserve, consisting of numerous wooden structures and tents serving as living quarters and operational bases. The taskforce, acting under environmental protection directives, dismantled and set the illegal structures and equipment ablaze to prevent future reoccupation.

Throughout the mission, NAIMOS officers exhibited exceptional discipline, professionalism, and integrity in the face of armed resistance, deceit, and attempted corruption.

In similar fashion, another NAIMOS taskforce, currently operating in the Western North Region, concurrently patrolled and raided illegal mining sites at Oda Ahenkro in the Amenfi West District. During the raids illegal mining activities were disrupted in the area and several makeshift structures and equipment were destroyed or seized by the NAIMOS task force

The successful operations, especially the one at Oda River Forest Reserve represents a significant milestone in Ghana’s ongoing fight against illegal mining, made possible through the strategic collaboration between NAIMOS and the Ashanti Regional Security Council, whose coordination and logistical support ensured operational success.

Director of Operations of NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Buah, commended the joint effort, describing the mission 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 stated. “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.”