Western North police arrest 4 suspected fake National Security operatives over alleged mining site raid

Police in the Western North Region have arrested four men and their driver for allegedly impersonating National Security operatives and conducting raids on mining sites at Suiaboi. The suspects were apprehended following swift, intelligence-led operations by the regional police command.

DCOP Francis Tsidi, the regional police commander, confirmed that the arrests were made on April 2, 2026, after residents reported suspicious activities at the mining sites. The suspects were allegedly moving through several communities in disguise as National Security personnel, demanding official documents from miners and confiscating items from individuals.

The accused have been identified as:

• Amponsah Asare Wagan, 33
• Nelson Agbodzah, 28
• Awedagah Norbert, 27
• Francis Brefo, 35
• Driver: Benjamin Boakye, 48

Residents became wary of the group’s activities, with some confronting the men and others alerting local authorities. Police intercepted the group as they attempted to leave the area and transported them to the Dadieso Police Station. “We acted immediately on the information received and arrested all five individuals along their route,” DCOP Tsidi stated.

Preliminary investigations revealed conflicting accounts from the suspects. Wagan, allegedly the ringleader, claimed he was a medical doctor, the son of a security official, and a branch communicator for a political party in Kwadaso. Others asserted affiliations with National Security, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, and NADMO. Police later confirmed that some suspects had no official connections to any security agency and were unemployed.

Investigators believe the operation was premeditated. According to police, Wagan assembled the group in Kumasi under the pretext of collecting intelligence in Bibiani. He rented a Toyota Hilux from LEASAFRIC, Francis Duah, submitted all relevant documents related to the rented pickup to assist with the ongoing investigation. Police confirmed that the suspects will be arraigned once investigations are completed, with efforts continuing to verify their identities and the full extent of their activities.