Manso Keniago: Four dead, 15 injured in clash involving NAIMOS
Four people have been killed and 15 others injured following a confrontation between residents of Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region and officers of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), according to the area’s Assembly Member, Charles Oduro.
The revised casualty figures come after earlier reports that two NAIMOS officers were shot during a clash with an armed group while 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, Mr Oduro said the confrontation started following a disagreement over the movement of the seized excavators through the community.
He explained that some residents and traditional leaders had insisted that the equipment be transported on low-bed trailers instead of being driven along the road.
The disagreement reportedly escalated into gunfire, resulting in four deaths and injuries to 15 people.
Mr Oduro said the victims were from Manso Keniago and nearby communities, including Ketanpo.
He made the disclosure while visiting some of the injured persons receiving treatment at St Martin’s Hospital, describing the incident as distressing.
He also revealed that a police officer was hit during efforts to restore calm and prevent the situation from worsening.
According to him, police personnel had intervened and attempted to guide the NAIMOS team to use the appropriate route to transport the excavators. A police inspector was also present and tried to defuse the tension.
When asked whether any NAIMOS officers had been injured, Mr Oduro said he had not personally encountered any such cases.
However, NAIMOS had earlier confirmed that two of its personnel sustained gunshot wounds during the incident. The Secretariat said its task force came under attack from an armed group attempting to block the movement of the seized excavators, prompting officers to fire warning shots to prevent further escalation.
While the Assembly Member’s account puts the civilian death toll at four, with 15 others injured, the reported casualty figures have not been independently verified.
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