By Issah Olegor
A deadly shooting incident at Asiyaw, near Akwane-Dobro in the Nsawam area of the Eastern Region, has left five men dead and several others in shock, following a confrontation between two opposing groups reportedly linked to ongoing disputes over illegal sand winning operations.
According to the Eastern South Regional Police Command, the violence erupted on Monday, April 29, 2025, at a sand winning site that has long been a flashpoint of tension in the community.
The Police crime scene team discovered the lifeless bodies of five adult males with multiple gunshot wounds when they arrived at the scene.
Recovered from the site were two vehicles — a Toyota Tacoma and a Toyota Tundra — one pump-action shotgun loaded with 17 live cartridges, four used shotgun cartridges, three empty 7.62/39mm shells, one 9mm empty shell, and five heavy-duty motorbikes, suggesting a well-coordinated and heavily armed operation.
Roots of the Conflict
This tragedy is the latest chapter in a prolonged land and environmental conflict. For years, farmers and residents of Asiyaw have decried the illegal sand winning activities that have devastated farmlands and endangered their livelihoods.
Staple crops such as cassava, maize, and pawpaw have been particularly affected, with many families suffering food insecurity and economic hardship as a result.
In response to the growing unrest, the boundary chief of the Adonteng Division under the Akuapem Traditional Council reportedly led a delegation to the site to engage in peace talks aimed at resolving the tensions between the locals and the groups involved in the sand winning.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary police investigations suggest that the gathering turned violent when a faction, allegedly acting on instructions from individuals identified only as Togbe and Alanyo, opened fire on the chief’s entourage.
The sudden outbreak of violence plunged the area into chaos, with people fleeing for safety as gunshots rang out.
The five deceased individuals have been transported to the Police Hospital morgue in Accra for preservation and autopsy, as authorities work to identify them and inform their families.
Public Outcry and Ongoing Investigations
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from the local population, who are demanding swift justice and stronger intervention from security agencies to clamp down on illegal mining and sand winning operations.
Community leaders and civil society actors are also calling for a thorough investigation to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the bloodshed.
Police say investigations are ongoing and have assured the public that efforts are being made to bring the perpetrators to book.
