The Tanoso Police Commander in the Ahafo Region, ASP Edmond Adjei Kissi, has disclosed that illegal miners once seized four AK-47 rifles from police officers during an operation at a galamsey site.
According to him, the incident underscores the serious security risks officers face while carrying out operations against illegal mining in the area.
Speaking on Adom FM, ASP Adjei Kissi said the incident occurred during an operation in Duayaw Nkwanta and Adroba, where the officers were confronted by illegal miners who managed to take possession of the four rifles.
He said the Regional Police Commander, after being informed of the incident, immediately ordered the officers to return to the area and retrieve the weapons.
“We went for an operation in Duayaw Nkwanta, Adroba and illegal miners seized four AK-47s from us, and the regional commander instructed us to go and retrieve the weapons within five minutes,” he recalled.
ASP Adjei Kissi said the incident has influenced the cautious approach adopted by the police during some subsequent operations, particularly in areas where tensions remain high.
He explained that during a recent operation at a galamsey site, officers were unable to arrest any suspected illegal miners because of the prevailing security situation and intelligence available to them.
According to him, the officers had gone to the site to retrieve mining tailings but initially found no one at the location.
He said a man identified as Alhassan later arrived at the site, but the police decided against arresting him after assessing the situation and potential security risks.
“We couldn’t arrest anyone due to the tensions, monitoring the situation and based on my security intelligence,” he said.
Police respond to concerns over court delays
The Tanoso Police Commander also addressed concerns about delays in taking some suspects before the court, saying the traditional council had repeatedly sought information on when the cases would be heard.
He said the police invited Alhassan for questioning, during which he indicated that the traditional authorities were waiting for the chief to determine the next course of action.
ASP Adjei Kissi said he could not comment on any subsequent discussions that may have taken place, noting that the traditional council had not returned to the police station to follow up on the court proceedings.
His comments come amid growing tensions over efforts to combat illegal mining in the Tanoso area, with the traditional council accusing the police of failing to provide adequate support in the fight against the menace.
