The Assembly Member for Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, Charles Oduro and some residents have recounted the events that led to a gun battle in which four people were allegedly killed and 15 others injured.

The confrontation occurred after personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) clashed with residents while transporting excavators seized during an anti-illegal mining operation to a designated location for safekeeping.

Speaking on Channel One TV on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Oduro said the confrontation erupted following a disagreement over the transportation of the seized excavators through the community.

He explained that some residents and traditional authorities had wanted the equipment to be transported on low-bed trailers rather than driven along the road.

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According to him, the disagreement escalated into gunfire, leaving four people dead and 15 others injured.

He said the victims were from Manso Keniago and neighbouring communities, including Ketanpo.

“Some are from there and others from Keniago and others from different communities,” citinewsroom.com quoted him as saying during the interview.

Oduro made the remarks while visiting some of the injured persons receiving treatment at St Martin’s Hospital. He described the situation as distressing and disclosed that a police officer was also hit during attempts to calm the situation.

“Even the police came to intervene, to let the NAIMOS people calm down, so that they take the right turn to convey the excavator. But even one police officer was hit by one of the NAIMOS,” he said.

He added that a police inspector was present at the scene and had attempted to de-escalate the confrontation.

NAIMOS had earlier reported that two of its personnel sustained gunshot wounds during the incident.

The Secretariat said its task force encountered an armed group attempting to obstruct the movement of the seized excavators, adding that officers fired warning shots to prevent further escalation.

In a separate account, chiefs and residents of Manso Keniago in the Amansie South District have accused NAIMOS personnel of assaulting one of their chiefs and firing gunshots at his vehicle during the confrontation.

In a statement signed by the Krontihene, Nana Boateng, and the Youth Representative, Bernard Ntiamoah, the traditional authorities and residents said the confrontation began when the chief and some residents questioned why the excavator was being transported through the community along a tarred government road, citing concerns about possible damage to the road.

“Contrary to their statement, the excavator involved was reportedly not seized from Manso Keniago. NAIMOS operatives were transporting the machine through our township along a tarred government road when our chief and some residents questioned the movement over concerns about possible damage to the road,” the statement said.

The chiefs and residents further alleged that one of their chiefs was physically assaulted and that gunshots were fired at his vehicle.

“Even more disturbing are allegations that our chief was physically assaulted and gunshots were fired at his vehicle,” the statement added.

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