The National Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (NAIMOS) has arrested a well-known illegal mining operator, Iddrisu Zakari, popularly known as Yaayaa, for his alleged involvement in galamsey activities in the Osino area of the Eastern Region.
Zakari was picked up on Monday, November 10, 2025, at about 6:06 p.m. in Bunso, following a covert operation by NAIMOS officials. His arrest came after he reportedly agreed to meet operatives to negotiate the release of some of his detained associates and to lobby for an end to ongoing investigations into his mining operations.
This development comes in the wake of a raid on Friday night, November 7, 2025, on Zakari’s galamsey site, where 32 Nigerien nationals and four Ghanaian guards armed with machetes were arrested.
Zakari has since been handed over to the Ghana Police Service to assist with further investigations. NAIMOS and security agencies have reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying the fight against illegal mining and called on the public to cooperate in protecting the nation’s natural resources.
