Residents and miners around Kibi in the Eastern Region are breathing a sigh of relief following the arrest of five men accused of impersonating officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, commonly known as NAIMOS.
The suspects, identified as Moses Tapiam, 43, Christopher Amakor, 29, Casimir Nunekpeku, 29, Wisdom Miwonuko, 35, and Paul Agbanu, 53, were arrested on Friday, January 2, 2026, by the Eastern South Regional Police Command.
According to police sources, the men allegedly visited several mining sites in Akwadum in the Abuakwa South Municipality, where they demanded money from miners while pretending to be part of a national task force.
Their activities reportedly created fear among miners, some of whom believed the suspects had the authority to shut down operations or seize equipment.
Dressed in security-style uniforms and moving from site to site, the group allegedly used intimidation to collect money from unsuspecting workers who were simply trying to earn a living.
The operation came to an end when genuine NAIMOS officers intercepted the suspects.
They were found travelling in a Mitsubishi 4×4 pick-up vehicle with registration number GS 536–25 and were immediately handed over to the Eastern South Regional Criminal Investigations Department in Kibi for further action.
The five suspects are currently in police custody and are assisting with ongoing investigations.
They are expected to be arraigned before the court in the coming days as police work to uncover whether others may be involved in similar schemes within the area.
