Three people have been reported dead and 13 others injured after a violent clash between residents of Manso Keniago and personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
The confrontation broke out on Wednesday afternoon as the NAIMOS task force moved excavators seized during an anti-galamsey operation out of the community to a designated location for safekeeping.
NAIMOS says two of its personnel suffered gunshot wounds after an armed mob tried to block the equipment. Community leaders, however, reject that account and say the security team attacked residents first.
The identities of those who died have not been officially released, and the exact circumstances of the deaths remain unclear.
What happened at Manso Keniago
NAIMOS personnel had been in the Manso area this week for an operation against illegal mining, during which several excavators and changfang machines were confiscated, Graphic Online reported.
On Wednesday afternoon, as the seized excavators were being moved through Manso Keniago, some community members reportedly blocked the team. An exchange of gunfire followed, leaving people dead and injured.
Earlier reports said the road was blocked and vehicles carrying the personnel were pelted with stones, shattering some windscreens.
NAIMOS says two personnel were shot
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, NAIMOS said its task force was confronted by an armed mob trying to forcibly obstruct the movement of the seized equipment.
The Secretariat said its personnel fired warning shots to deter the mob and prevent escalation, and that two of its officers sustained gunshot wounds. The statement did not mention any civilian deaths.
NAIMOS warned that “attacks, threats, and other forms of violent resistance against its operations are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” and said it would continue enforcement operations across the country. Read the NAIMOS statement as reported by MyJoyOnline.
Manso Keniago chief: “NAIMOS attacked my people first”
The chief of Manso Keniago, Nana Obeng Mensah Ababio II, has disputed the NAIMOS account. Speaking to the media on Thursday, he said residents did not start the violence.
“I want to put it on record that residents of Manso Keniago did not attack NAIMOS first,” he said, challenging the officials to “come and take an oath” if their account is true.
A separate statement signed by Krontihene Nana Boateng and Youth Representative Bernard Ntiamoah said the excavator was not seized from Manso Keniago. They said residents only questioned why the machine was being driven through the township on a tarred government road, out of concern for damage to the road.
The statement also alleged that “our chief was physically assaulted and gunshots were fired at his vehicle.”
Death toll and injuries: what the figures say
Accounts of the casualties differ between sources, and no police or hospital figure has yet been published.
- Deaths reported by media: 3 (MyJoyOnline, Graphic Online, chief of Manso Keniago)
- Injured reported: 13 community members (Graphic Online, chief of Manso Keniago)
- NAIMOS personnel injured: 2, with gunshot wounds (NAIMOS statement)
- Assemblyman’s account: 4 dead and 15 injured, according to Assembly Member Charles Oduro, as reported by GhanaWeb
- Civilian deaths in NAIMOS statement: none mentioned
Assemblyman Charles Oduro said he visited injured people at St Martin’s Hospital. He also claimed a police officer who tried to calm the situation was hit, though no police statement has confirmed this.
Why the excavator movement sparked the clash
According to Mr Oduro, the dispute started over how the excavators were being moved. Residents and traditional authorities wanted the machines carried on low-bed trailers instead of being driven along the community’s road.
Clashes between communities and anti-galamsey teams are not new. GhanaTrends has previously reported on mob violence against NAIMOS officers in the Ahafo Region during an earlier crackdown.
What the Manso Keniago clash means for residents
The chief says the community is now in fear and mourning, while families wait for the bodies of the dead to be formally identified.
For residents, the incident deepens tension between mining communities and state enforcement teams, with both sides offering sharply different accounts of who fired first.
What happens next
The Manso Keniago traditional authorities and residents have asked President John Dramani Mahama, the Inspector-General of Police and other authorities to “launch an independent investigation, provide medical assistance to the injured and ensure justice for the victims.”
As of Thursday morning, no official police or government statement on the deaths had been published, and no arrests had been reported. NAIMOS says its operations will continue.
Key details at a glance
- Location: Manso Keniago, Amansie South District, Ashanti Region
- Date: Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2026
- Reported deaths: 3 (an assemblyman puts it at 4)
- Reported injuries: 13 residents and 2 NAIMOS personnel
- Trigger: movement of excavators seized in an anti-galamsey operation
- NAIMOS position: armed mob attacked; warning shots fired
- Community position: NAIMOS attacked first; independent probe demanded
FAQs
What happened at Manso Keniago?
A clash broke out on November 11, 2026, between residents and NAIMOS personnel moving seized excavators, leaving three people reported dead and 13 injured, while two NAIMOS officers suffered gunshot wounds.
How many people died in the Manso Keniago NAIMOS clash?
Most reports, including the chief of the town, put the death toll at three, while the local assemblyman says four died. No official police figure has been released yet.
What is NAIMOS?
NAIMOS is the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, the state body leading operations against illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana.
The Manso Keniago clash has left at least three people dead and many injured, with NAIMOS and community leaders blaming each other for the violence. Residents are now calling for an independent investigation, while NAIMOS insists its fight against galamsey will continue.
