Forestry Commission patrol team ambushed by armed illegal miners

A Rapid Response team from the Forestry Commission narrowly escaped death after they were ambushed by about 20 armed illegal miners while on patrol in the Jimira Forest Reserve.

According to officials, the attack happened on Saturday, June 28, 2025, following intelligence that illegal miners had taken over Compartment 34 of the Jimira Forest Reserve, particularly the Bentiko-Pakyi section.

“Apparently, we had made attempts on two occasions to clamp down on illegal miners at the said portion of the Reserve but were prevented by armed thugs,” an official told JoyNews.

He added that the last confrontation happened on May 27, 2025, when the Rapid Response Team, with support from seven police officers from the Nkawie Divisional Police Command, attempted to access the area but were blocked.

During the latest operation, eight officers from the Rapid Response Team and other staff approached the forest, only to be met with an ambush. Three pick-up trucks were parked on the route to the reserve, and the team was ordered to stop.

As soon as they stopped, over 20 armed men who had been hiding in the vegetation came out and began firing warning shots.

“One of our officers who was seated at the front of one of our vehicles was hit with a machete several times by the thugs,” an officer told JoyNews’ Erastus Asare Donkor.

He added that one of their vehicles was also damaged by gunshots. Fortunately, aside from the officer who suffered machete wounds, no one else was injured.

The team managed to retreat and has since reported the incident to the Nkawie Divisional Police Command.

About two months ago, a similar attack in the same area left a team member with a machete wound to the knee.

The Jimira and Jimira Extension Forest Reserves have become extremely dangerous zones, with illegal miners making it nearly impossible for forestry officials to carry out their duties.