8 Killed in clash with military at AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine

Eight persons are reported dead and several others injured after illegal miners clashed with a military detachment at one of the sites of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine.

While a communication from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) put the number of deaths at seven, local sources in Obuasi told the Daily Graphic yesterday that another body was brought to the Obuasi Government Hospital at Mangoase yesterday morning.

GAF statement

A statement signed by the Director-General of Public Relations, Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie, and issued by the GAF yesterday, said a confrontation between illegal miners and military personnel at AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Gold Mine resulted in the death of seven miners late Saturday night.

The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when approximately 60 unauthorised individuals scaled the mine’s security fence at the Cote D’or Ramp, attempting to access the Deep Decline area.

The illegal miners were armed with locally manufactured rifles, pump-action guns, gas cylinders, knives, heavy-duty industrial bolt cutters, axes and machetes.

It said when the military patrol, deployed under Operation HALT II, intervened to prevent their entry, the miners opened fire and the soldiers returned fire in self-defence, leading to the fatalities and leaving one miner seriously injured.

The statement said a soldier sustained injuries from pump-action gun pellets but has since been treated. The military managed to retrieve six pump-action BB cartridges from the site.

Caution

The GAF emphasised that military personnel on authorised duty had the right to defend themselves, innocent civilians and property, including the use of lethal force, if necessary, to preserve life.

It also urged all illegal miners to stay away from mining concessions and desist from engaging troops in shootouts, as such actions could be fatal.  

Local reports

Some media practitioners who have interacted with and interviewed some of the survivors said the illegal miners denied wielding weapons or firing at the soldiers.

One of the reporters, who visited both the Obuasi Government Hospital and the AGA Hospital around 2 a.m. told the Daily Graphic that he counted seven bodies at the government hospital.

It said another body was brought to the hospital again yesterday morning, bringing the number of the dead to eight.

For the injured, the media practitioner confirmed seeing a person at each of the hospitals.

According to one of the survivors, who described the party as “hungry small-scale miners”, they were not wielding guns or any offensive weapons.

The source said only one person had a pump-action gun with the explanation that once they were headed to the bush they could encounter a game for which the gun would be handy.

The eyewitness and survivor said their leaders instructed them to cut through the fence and beat a path to the underground mine to prospect for gold.

It said while beating the path, they saw some soldiers who asked them to retreat. However, their leaders approached them to explain that they were compelled to prospect for gold at the site to fend for themselves.

The source said without any provocation from their leaders, who had knelt in front of the soldiers to plead for entry and explain themselves, one of the soldiers pointed the nozzle of his gun into the air and for the third time gave a warning shot.

The survivor said that the warning shot triggered a shooting spree, killing those kneeling in the process after which they aimed at the rest of them, who had taken to their heels, resulting in the injuries.

Aftermath 

In the aftermath of the clash, tensions escalated in Obuasi. Some of the illegal miners organised reprisal attacks, while others set ablaze some vehicles belonging to private security companies of AGA.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, “all schools in the Obuasi West and East Municipalities will be closed on Monday, 20th January, 2025 and Tuesday, 21st January, 2025”.

The management of AngloGold Ashanti Schools has also announced the temporary closure of its institutions.

A notice dated January 19, 2025, signed by Executive Director, Simon Peter K. Attah-Cato, stated that the schools would be closed for today and tomorrow to safeguard the lives and property of students, staff, parents and other stakeholders.

The schools plan to reopen on Wednesday (January 23) provided calm is restored.