A member of the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response team is battling for his life after being attacked by armed illegal miners in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
The officer sustained a deep machete wound to his knee during an ambush by the miners, who were reportedly armed with assault rifles and machetes.
The incident occurred when the team entered the reserve to halt fresh illegal mining activities.
Before their entry, they had captured footage of some of the armed individuals manning a barrier at the forest’s entrance.
The yet-to-be-identified victim is currently receiving medical treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve has been a hotspot for illegal mining, which continues to pose a severe threat to the country’s forest reserves and water bodies.
The Forestry Commission, in collaboration with security agencies, has been leading operations to curb the destruction of these protected areas.
The Nkwawie forest district manager Abraham Essel spoke about the incident.
Voice of Abraham Essel
No comment yet, add your voice below!