- Alhaji Mohammed Bashiru’s vehicle vandalised during Hwidiem clash
- Youth confronted NAIMOS taskforce at Hwidiem Police Station
- MP Ebenezer Addo and community leaders intervened to restore order
The Zongo Chief of Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region, Alhaji Mohammed Bashiru, has shared a detailed account of how his vehicle was vandalised during a violent clash between agitated youth and members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) at the Hwidiem Police Station over the weekend.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Alhaji Bashiru described the incident as “chaotic and dangerous,” crediting the swift intervention of community leaders and police officers for preventing what could have been a deadly confrontation.
According to him, he was working on his farm when the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Addo, informed him about a tense standoff involving the NAIMOS team, led by Colonel Dominic Buah.
“When I got there on a motorbike, the scene was really bad,” Alhaji Bashiru recalled. “The youth had surrounded the police station, and the situation was getting out of control, so we decided to move the soldiers out to calm things down.”
He added that many of the young people at the scene did not understand the cause of the unrest, but had joined out of curiosity.
“A lot of the youth didn’t even know what was happening. Some were just following the crowd. It was rather the mature ones who helped the police to restore calm,” he noted.
After assessing the situation, the MP reportedly advised that the soldiers be evacuated for their own safety.
“The MP told me the police vehicle wasn’t safe and asked me to use my Toyota Sequoia 4×4 to transport the soldiers, believing no one would attack it,” Alhaji Bashiru said.
However, shortly after the vehicle arrived, part of the angry crowd mistook it for a military vehicle and smashed its rear windscreen.
“Those who damaged my car were not among those who understood the issue. One young man even admitted he joined the mob just because he heard shouting,” he recounted.
Despite the damage, the Zongo Chief said his main concern was ensuring the safety of the soldiers and preventing the chaos from escalating.
He commended the military personnel for their restraint and professionalism, stressing that they remained calm despite provocation.
“The soldiers represent the government, and once they wear the uniform, they deserve respect. They could have retaliated or forced their way out, but they remained disciplined until we secured their evacuation,” he said.
The NAIMOS team, which had earlier arrested two suspected illegal miners and seized vehicles and weapons at a nearby mining site, was later escorted by police to safety at the Newmont Kenyasi site.
Police in Hwidiem have since confirmed that calm has been restored, while investigations continue into the vandalism and attempted assault on the taskforce.
