The lifeless body of the deceased
A cloud of fear and suspicion has settled over the galamsey-ridden community of Manso Fawotrikye in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region following the mysterious death of a 29-year-old Nigerian miner, Baba Jedi, whose body was retrieved from a water body near an illegal mining site on Friday, February 6, 2026.
Baba Jedi had been reported missing earlier in the week after finishing work at the galamsey site. According to the site master, Tahiru, the deceased informed him that he was leaving the site after the day’s activities. However, another worker later told investigators that Baba Jedi was picked up on a motorcycle by the site master, after which he was never seen again.
The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and subsequent death have raised serious concerns, prompting swift police action. The Manso Adubia Police Command has since arrested the site master and one other co-worker to assist with investigations, as officers work to unravel the events that led to the miner’s death.
The tragic incident has once again thrown the spotlight on the dangerous and lawless nature of galamsey operations, particularly in parts of the Ashanti Region. Beyond environmental destruction and polluted rivers, illegal mining sites have increasingly become hotbeds of crime, violence and unexplained deaths, often involving foreign nationals who operate in remote areas with little protection.
Residents of Manso Fawotrikye say fear now grips the community, calling on authorities to intensify the fight against galamsey and bring sanity to the sector. They argue that while successive governments have pledged to clamp down on illegal mining, weak enforcement continues to allow such activities to flourish—with deadly consequences.
Police say investigations are ongoing and have assured the public that all persons found culpable will be dealt with according to the law. Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited for preservation and further examination as the probe deepens.
FROM David Afum, Manso Fawotrikye