Fresh allegations have emerged following a deadly confrontation between personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and residents of Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region, with an assembly member and traditional authorities accusing the task force of using excessive force during the incident.
The clash, which reportedly left four people dead and 15 others injured, occurred while NAIMOS personnel were transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation to a designated location for safekeeping.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Assembly Member for Manso Keniago Charles Oduro said the confrontation began after residents and traditional authorities disagreed with how the equipment was being transported through the community.
According to him, some residents wanted the excavators to be moved on low-bed trailers rather than driven along the road.
He said the disagreement escalated into gunfire, resulting in the deaths and injuries recorded during the confrontation.
Oduro disclosed that the victims came from Manso Keniago and neighbouring communities, including Ketanpo.
“Some are from there and others from Keniago and others from different communities,” citinewsroom.com quoted him as saying.
The assembly member made the comments while visiting some of the injured persons receiving treatment at St Martin’s Hospital. He described the situation as distressing and alleged that a police officer was also hit during attempts to restore calm.
“Even the police came to intervene, to let the NAIMOS people calm down, so that they take the right turn to convey the excavator. But even one police officer was hit by one of the NAIMOS,” he said.
He added that a police inspector was at the scene and had attempted to prevent the confrontation from escalating.
NAIMOS, however, has offered a different account of the incident. The Secretariat earlier reported that two of its personnel sustained gunshot wounds after its task force encountered an armed group allegedly trying to obstruct the movement of the seized excavators.
The agency said its officers fired warning shots to prevent further escalation.
Meanwhile, chiefs and residents of Manso Keniago have accused NAIMOS personnel of assaulting one of their chiefs and firing gunshots at his vehicle during the confrontation.
In a statement signed by the Krontihene, Nana Boateng, and the Youth Representative, Bernard Ntiamoah, the traditional authorities disputed aspects of NAIMOS’ account of the operation.
They claimed the excavator was not seized from Manso Keniago but was being transported through the community along a tarred government road when the chief and some residents questioned the decision over concerns about possible damage to the road.
“Contrary to their statement, the excavator involved was reportedly not seized from Manso Keniago. NAIMOS operatives were transporting the machine through our township along a tarred government road when our chief and some residents questioned the movement over concerns about possible damage to the road,” the statement said.
The chiefs and residents further alleged that one of their traditional leaders was physically assaulted during the confrontation and that gunshots were fired at his vehicle.
“Even more disturbing are allegations that our chief was physically assaulted and gunshots were fired at his vehicle,” the statement added.
The competing accounts have raised questions about how the confrontation unfolded, including the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and injuries, the alleged shooting of a police officer and claims of violence against the chief.
