I never instructed release of suspects — Collins Dauda responds to Hwidiem incident
The Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda, has clarified his role in the recent confrontation between residents of Hwidiem and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) taskforce.
Speaking on Asempa FM on Monday, November 3, 2025, Collins Dauda denied claims that he instructed the release of arrested miners and explained how the Asutifi North MP became involved in the matter.
Collins Dauda said he first became aware of the military operation in his constituency while attending meetings of the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa.
Upon receiving multiple calls from constituents, he asked the Assembly member to visit the site so he could speak with the team leader. However, the team leader refused to engage with him.
“When the calls kept coming, the Asutifi North MP contacted me, saying he was coming for a funeral in my constituency,” Dauda explained.
“I pleaded with him, given his position, to go and speak with the commander of the team, hoping he would be able to get a briefing. He did not initially plan to go; he only became involved because I asked him to.”
Dauda added that when the MP eventually visited the site, the commander briefed him about ongoing illegal mining activities and the destruction of equipment.
“I did not intervene in the operation. The call even dropped during the briefing, and I did not call back. Later, I heard that some youth attacked the team as they moved to the police station. That is all I know about the matter,” he said.
Addressing allegations that he instructed the commander to release arrested individuals, Dauda was emphatic.
“I did not instruct the commander to release anyone arrested. If he is a catholic, he should swear with his rosary if not he can use his bible-I am willing to hold the Quran and swear. The conversation was not even completed, and the line dropped. I did not give any instructions to release the suspects,” he stated.
Dauda’s statement comes amid ongoing investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following the attack on NAIMOS personnel at Hwidiem on Saturday, November 1, 2025. Vehicles were damaged, and a mob reportedly tried to disrupt the handover of seized items and suspects at the police station.
Meanwhile, Mr Addo in a statement clarifying his involvement said he felt compelled to respond to what he described as “an unfortunate misunderstanding” surrounding his role in the incident.
Narrating the events, the MP explained that on November 1, 2025, he was on his way to a funeral at Achrensua in the Asutifi South Constituency when he received information about a tense situation at Hwidiem involving military personnel conducting operations at a gold extraction site.
He said he immediately contacted the MP for Asutifi South, Hon. Collins Dauda, who was outside the country at the time, and was asked to visit the site on his behalf to ascertain the situation.
