Police-Forestry Commission team arrest 16 armed thugs in Asenanyo Forest Reserve
A team of police and Forestry Commission officials has apprehended 16 armed thugs who are alleged to have been preventing officials of the Commission from accessing the Asenanyo Forest Reserve to clamp down on illegal mining activities. The thugs, armed with pump-action guns, machetes and talismans, on Monday, August 31, 2026, attacked three Rapid Response […]
On August 31, 2026, a joint operation by police and Forestry Commission officials in the Asenanyo Forest Reserve resulted in the arrest of 16 armed individuals preventing the Commission from stopping illegal mining. Equipped with pump-action guns, machetes, and talismanic items, the suspects attacked three Rapid Response Teams made up of 16 personnel from Bekwai, Mankranso, and Nkawie.
Four of the arrested individuals were freed by the armed thugs, forcing the authorities to retreat. The incident occurred after weeks of surveillance by the Nkawie District Forestry Commission led by District Manager Abraham Essel, who discovered illegal mining activities within the reserve. A confrontation ensued between the Police-Forestry Commission team and the armed suspects, resulting in one policeman sustaining a facial injury.
Despite opposition, 16 suspects were apprehended, including those operating excavators and bulldozers. The remaining suspects managed to evade arrest. The arrested individuals were subsequently taken to the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters for further investigation.
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