NAIMOS Secretary Warns Illegal Miners Against Armed Confrontation with Anti-Galamsey Task Force
The Secretary of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel Dominic Buah, has issued a strong and direct warning to illegal miners (galamseyers), cautioning them against engaging in any form of violent or armed resistance during operations.
Speaking at an editors’ forum on Wednesday, March 25, Colonel Buah made it clear that his task force will not tolerate attacks on its personnel and will respond decisively if provoked.
“We will not stand and watch anyone use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons and therefore warn that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly,” he stated.
“It is a problem we are trying to address and we have the right to self-defence and let no galamseyer miss that. If you go to the field with weapons and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you.”
The remarks come amid intensified anti-galamsey operations across the country, which have increasingly met with resistance in some mining communities. Colonel Buah emphasised that NAIMOS operatives are well-trained and adequately equipped to protect themselves while carrying out their mandate to combat illegal mining activities that continue to cause severe environmental destruction.
He stressed that the task force’s primary goal remains addressing the galamsey menace through lawful and firm enforcement, but warned that any attempt to attack personnel with weapons will be met with overwhelming force.
The warning is expected to send a clear message to illegal miners and their collaborators as the government ramps up efforts to sanitise the mining sector and protect water bodies, forests, and farmlands from further degradation.
Colonel Buah’s comments have already sparked discussions about the level of force that may be used in future operations and the safety of both task force members and communities involved in illegal mining.
