Police in Ghana’s Western North Region have arrested four men and a driver for allegedly impersonating National Security operatives and carrying out a coordinated raid on mining sites in the Suaman District.
The suspects Amponsah Asare Wagan, 33; Nelson Agbodzah, 28; Awedagah Norbert, 27; Francis Brefo, 35; and driver Benjamin Boakye, 48 — were picked up on April 2, 2026, following intelligence-led operations by officers under the command of DCOP Francis Tsidi.
According to police, the group was spotted moving through communities around Suiaboi dressed in National Security attire, where they allegedly demanded documentation from miners and seized items from individuals at various mining sites.
Their activities triggered suspicion among residents, prompting some community members to confront them while others pursued them towards Dadieso. Police later intercepted the group and effected their arrest. They are currently assisting investigations at the Dadieso Police Station.
Initial interrogations revealed inconsistencies in the suspects’ claims. Wagan allegedly presented himself as a medical doctor and a political party communicator in Kwadaso, while others claimed links to National Security through institutions including the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and the NADMO office at Nhyeaso.
However, police investigations indicate that some of the suspects have no affiliation with National Security. Authorities disclosed that at least two of the suspects — Wagan and Brefo — are unemployed and falsely assumed law enforcement identities.
Investigators believe the operation was premeditated. Wagan is said to have assembled the group in Kumasi under the guise of an intelligence-gathering mission in Bibiani. He reportedly hired a Toyota Hilux from car rental firm LEASAFRIC, driven by Benjamin Boakye.
Instead, the group allegedly diverted to Suiaboi, where they are accused of vandalising mining equipment, ransacking workers’ rooms, and stealing mobile phones and an amount of GHC2,000.
A search conducted by police uncovered several items suspected to have been stolen, including two car batteries, three water pumping machines, a starter, a hose, a metal component believed to be part of an excavator, five mobile phones, a bunch of keys, one AA live cartridge, and a pair of military camouflage trousers.
In a further development, Wagan reportedly admitted he had been contracted by a former worker of the mining site, identified only as Yaw, to expose alleged activities of his former employer.
On April 4, the transport manager of LEASAFRIC, Francis Duah, submitted relevant vehicle and company documentation to assist ongoing investigations.
