Police in the Western North Region have arrested four men and their driver for allegedly impersonating National Security operatives and raiding mining sites at Suiaboi in the Suaman District.
The suspects were apprehended on Thursday, April 2, 2026, following swift intelligence-led operations, according to the Western North Regional Police Commander, DCOP Francis Tsidi.
The arrested individuals are Amponsah Asare Wagan, 33; Nelson Agbodzah, 28; Awedagah Norbert, 27; Francis Brefo, 35; and their driver, Benjamin Boakye, 48.
Reports indicate that the group, dressed in what appeared to be National Security attire, moved through several communities in the area, demanding documents from miners and seizing personal items from individuals at the mining sites.
Their suspicious activities drew the attention of residents, with some community members confronting the group while others promptly alerted the police.
Acting on the tip-off, police officers intercepted the suspects as they attempted to leave the area and escorted them to the Dadieso Police Station.
“We acted immediately on the information received and arrested all five individuals along their route,” the police stated.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects gave inconsistent accounts of their identities and affiliations. Amponsah Asare Wagan, believed to be the ringleader, claimed to be a medical doctor, the son of a security official, and a branch communicator of a political party in Kwadaso.
The others claimed links to National Security, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). However, police checks established that some of the men had no connections to any security agency and were unemployed.
Investigators believe the operation was carefully planned. According to police, Wagan assembled the group in Kumasi earlier that day, claiming they were heading to Bibiani to collect intelligence.
He reportedly rented a Toyota Hilux pickup from LEASAFRIC, with Benjamin Boakye serving as the driver. Instead of proceeding to Bibiani, the group diverted to the Suiaboi mining site.
At the site, the suspects allegedly damaged mining equipment, ransacked workers’ rooms, and carted away mobile phones and cash amounting to GHS 2,000.
A search conducted on the rented vehicle led to the recovery of several suspected stolen items, including car batteries, water pumping machines, a starter, a hose, a metal excavator part, five mobile phones, keys, a live AA cartridge, and a pair of military camouflage trousers.
In a surprising development, Wagan reportedly confessed that he was contracted by a former worker at the mining site, identified only as Yaw, to “expose the activities” of his ex-boss, who is the alleged owner of the site.
On Saturday, April 4, the Transport Manager of LEASAFRIC, Francis Duah, submitted all relevant documents pertaining to the rented vehicle to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Police say the suspects will be arraigned before court once investigations are completed. Efforts are underway to fully verify their identities and determine the extent of their previous activities in the area.