The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to take over investigations into the violent attack on the Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and his team at Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, November 1, 2025, reportedly involved a mob of about 600 people who allegedly attacked the NAIMOS team and vandalised property at the Hwidiem Police Station.
According to a statement signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Grace Ansah-Akrofi, preliminary investigations indicate that the NAIMOS team, led by its Director, had intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested some suspects.
Items retrieved from the suspects included one Smith & Wesson pistol, two pistol magazines, twenty-one rounds of 9mm ammunition, an unregistered Range Rover, an unregistered Toyota RAV4, and several mobile phones.
While the team was preparing to hand over the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, allegedly arrived at the station with a group demanding the release of the suspects. When his demand was refused, the group forcibly removed the suspects’ handcuffs and chased the NAIMOS team from the scene.
Subsequently, a mob of about 600 people, reportedly incited by the MP, besieged the Hwidiem Police Station, vandalised the Director’s vehicle, damaged parts of the station, and threatened to set it ablaze. Reinforcement teams from the Ahafo Regional Command were deployed to restore order and prevent further destruction.
Calm was eventually restored through the joint efforts of the police, the military, and the Zongo Chief of Hwidiem, who helped mediate the situation and ensure the safe evacuation of the NAIMOS team. Although the Chief’s vehicle was damaged in the process, no injuries were reported.
The IGP has instructed the CID Headquarters to lead the ongoing investigation, while the Asutifi North MP, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, has been invited to assist with the probe.
The Ghana Police Service, in the statement, strongly condemned the attack and cautioned the public against any interference with law enforcement operations.
“A special operation has been launched to identify and arrest all perpetrators to face the full rigours of the law,” the statement stressed.
