Nana Obeng Mensah Ababio II, the chief of Manso Keniago, has broken his silence following the killing of three of his people following a clash between the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and community members.
According to the Chief, NAIMOS initiated the violence by firing first and challenged NAIMOS officials to prove their claims.
Speaking in a video shared on X, Nana Obeng Mensah Ababio II stated, “NAIMOS issued a statement claiming that my people attacked them first. It’s a lie. I am sitting on the gods’ stool, so I can’t lie. NAIMOS personnel attacked my people first.”
“I want to put it on record that residents of Manso Keniago did not attack NAIMOS first. It was NAIMOS officials who attacked them first. If what they are saying is true, they should come and take an oath. I am backed by the gods, and I cannot lie,” he said.
The Manso Keniago chief revealed that he became alarmed after seeing an excavator being moved from the area, prompting him to engage the security personnel who had accompanied the operation, adding that he later saw police officers and soldiers at the scene as efforts were made to engage the team.
Meanwhile, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, the spokesperson for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), has defended the task force following the deaths of three people during a clash at Manso Keniago in the Ashanti Region.
According to Paa Kwesi Schandorf, NAIMOS personnel were forced to defend themselves after a mob was hell-bent on attacking them during an operation in the area.
He argued that the deaths of three people during a clash at Manso Keniago resulted from an act of self-defence by the task force.
Paa Kwesi Schandorf revealed that NAIMOS initially fired warning shots in an attempt to disperse the crowd and de-escalate the situation; however, the group remained determined to attack the personnel, forcing them to respond in self-defence.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Upfront on November 11, 2026, Schandorf stated, The task force initially fired warning shots to disperse them, to de-escalate the situation, but they were determined, hell-bent and insistent on exacting on the NAIMOS task force.
And that is what compelled NAIMOS, under the circumstances, in the interest of self-defence, to deter them. That is how come three, unfortunately, have lost their lives. Two NAIMOS personnel, as we speak, are currently injured”.
Schandorf disclosed that the two injured NAIMOS personnel were receiving medical treatment following the confrontation.
He stressed that the task force resorted to force in response to the alleged attack on its personnel.
Some weeks ago, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Lands Minister, told NAIMOS officials tasked with fighting illegal mining commonly known as galamsey to defend themselves, no matter what it takes.
The Lands Minister told NAIMOS officials that should anybody decide to stand in their way, they have every right to defend themselves.
Kofi Buah made this known while acknowledging that individuals involved in illegal mining are dangerous and would not hesitate to cause harm to security officials.
According to the Lands Minister, NAIMOS officials should not hesitate to defend themselves, regardless of the circumstances in their fight against illegal mining.
Speaking in a video shared on Metro TV, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah stated, “You saw how dangerous some of these folks are, and let me commend our patriotic soldiers. You have my complete instruction: you have every right to defend yourself. If anybody decides that they will stand in your way, you have every right to defend yourself”.
“But we will win this fight because our children and the next generation must live. And we have a responsibility to live in this protected forest that gives us air, that gives us water for the next generation. We are not stopping. We are coming to get you wherever you are hiding in the deepest forest.
“Because we are determined to protect our forest. We are determined to protect the source of our water. We are determined to protect the source of our health, our environment. This is a fight for every well-meaning Ghanaian. It’s a fight for our lifetime. And we will win.”
Watch the video below:
“NAIMOS issued a statement claiming that my people attacked them first. It’s a lie. I am sitting on the gods’ stool, so I can’t lie. NAIMOS personnel attacked my people first.” — Chief of Manso Keniago speaks after three of his people were shot dead, while 13 others sustained varying degrees of injuries, during a clash between NAIMOS personnel and community members over the seizure of illegal mining equipment.
— 𝐀𝐒𝐊 (@askghmedia) November 12, 2026
