Two private security guards of Earl Group have allegedly been detained by persons linked to Nanlamtaaba Enterprise while on duty at the company’s underground mining operations at Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.
According to a 3news.com report, the incident happened on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, amid an ongoing dispute over illegal mining activities within Earl Group’s mining concession.
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The report said that the two guards were seized by persons believed to be workers of Nanlamtaaba Enterprise, which Earl Group accused of operating illegally within its concession.
The situation had escalated beyond the disputed area, with dozens of people allegedly invading the company’s underground workings and attempting to take over active production areas.
The report further stated that some of the persons entered the underground working area carrying dangerous weapons and forcibly occupied areas where Earl Group’s workers were operating.
The company said Nanlamtaaba Enterprise had continued mining despite a Notice to Cease Mining Operations and Vacate the Gbane Mining Area issued by the Minerals Commission with the approval of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Earl Group further alleged that the enterprise was operating without the required Mining Lease, Operating Permit, Environmental Permit, Explosives Permit, and other regulatory approvals.
The company is calling on the government and security agencies to enforce the cease-and-vacate order and provide sustained security at the concession to prevent further invasions and protect its workers.
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The situation later calmed following the intervention of state security agencies in the Upper East Region.
UER: 2 guards of Earl International Group held hostage underground by illegal miners at Gbane 3news.com/news/uer-2-guards-of-earl-international-group-held-hostage-underground-by-illegal-miners-at-gbane #BreakingNews #HostageSituation #IllegalMining pic.twitter.com/UjkC5tarXQ
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 30, 2026
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