Two officers from the Ghana Police Service sustained various degrees of injury during a specialized operation targeting illegal mining activities in the Western Region. The security personnel were engaged in an exercise to remove unauthorized individuals from a protected forest reserve when the incident occurred. Reports from 3News state that the injured officers are currently receiving medical attention at a local health facility.
According to a report by Citi Newsroom the operation was part of a broader national initiative to curb the environmental degradation caused by illegal small scale mining famously known as galamsey. The task force encountered resistance while attempting to dismantle mining equipment and clear the site of suspected illegal miners. The specific nature of the injuries and the identity of the attackers remain unconfirmed by official police statements at this time.
A GhanaWeb report indicates that the police successfully destroyed several pieces of mining machinery during the exercise despite the physical confrontation. The Ghana Police Service has not yet released a formal statement detailing the exact location of the forest reserve or the current condition of the hospitalized personnel. Security remains tightened in the district to prevent the return of the suspected miners to the site.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has previously warned that individuals found mining in forest reserves will face the full rigors of the law. While no arrests have been publicly announced following this specific raid investigations are reportedly underway to identify the persons responsible for the assault on the officers. This information is based on initial reports from 3News and local updates from the Western Region.