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Bereaved families of nine local miners, who tragically died in a violent confrontation with military officers at the Anglogold Obuasi Gold Mine, gathered at the Obuasi Government Hospital on Monday to take delivery of the bodies.
The hospital confirmed a total of nine fatalities, with eight others injured in the incident. The injured miners were transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
The hospital is currently completing autopsies on the deceased before releasing the bodies to the police for subsequent return to the families for the necessary rites.
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Following the incident, authorities have ramped up security, with a heavy deployment of military officers stationed at all entry and exit points of the mine. Local public and private schools in Obuasi remain closed as the Ghana Education Service continues to assess the security situation.
The deadly confrontation occurred on the night of Saturday, January 18, 2025, at around 11:00 PM, when approximately 60 illegal miners attempted to breach the security fence and gain access to the Deep Decline area of the mine. Armed with locally manufactured rifles, pump-action guns, knives, axes, and gas cylinders, the miners reportedly opened fire on the military personnel when confronted.
In response, the soldiers returned fire in self-defence, resulting in the fatalities of several illegal miners. The rest of the miners fled the scene. One soldier sustained injuries from a pellet wound but has since received treatment. Military personnel retrieved six pump-action BB cartridges from the site.
The incident has further raised concerns about the ongoing illegal mining activities in the area and the security measures in place to address such violent confrontations.
