mining activities along the Ankobrah River at Ayiem Juabo in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.
The operation, which took place around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, followed intelligence reports on ongoing galamsey activities that had severely polluted sections of the river upstream. Acting on the intelligence, NAIMOS field officers swiftly moved to the illegal mining camp situated along the riverbank to halt the destructive activities and safeguard the water body.
During the raid, seven suspected illegal miners were arrested. They include:
Numbor Kwasi Musah, 16
Benja Nakura Abdul-Wahid, 15
Kombate Indabre, 20 — found with a Ghanaian ID card bearing the name Kombate Damban, which he denied owning
Mawuli Boni, 29
Justice Mensah, 40, from Alavanyo
Bright Kwasi Nkrumah, 35
Kwabena Lambon, 30
The taskforce also retrieved several items used in the illegal mining operation, including nine water pumping machines, mining trays and pans, charms, and mobile phones.
Makeshift structures at the camp were dismantled, while equipment found on site were destroyed to prevent a return to the illegal activity.
The suspects were handed over to the Ayiem Juabo Police Station to assist with further investigations and prosecution. The seized equipment has been transported to the NAIMOS headquarters in Accra for safekeeping and further action in accordance with established procedures.
As part of its broader operational strategy, NAIMOS has begun deploying field officers permanently to high-risk illegal mining areas to ensure faster responses to reported galamsey activities. These deployments are expected to enhance intelligence-led operations and increase the frequency of both daytime and nighttime enforcement across affected districts.
NAIMOS reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to maintaining pressure on illegal mining networks and safeguarding Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves through sustained field presence and rapid-response interventions
