The spokesperson for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Elikem Kotoko, has called for intensified public education to curb reckless aggression among sections of the youth during security operations.

The Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on November 4, said the recent violent confrontation between residents of Bronikrom near Hwidiem in the Ahafo Region and a NAIMOS task force highlights a dangerous misunderstanding of law enforcement dynamics.

He warned that young people must be educated to “move beyond childish bravado” that emboldens them to challenge armed officers during operations.

“I want this to serve rather as a warning to our traditional authorities and especially to our youth,” he said.

“We need to educate our youth to stop this childish bravado of thinking that when we are in the number of 50 or 70, we can outnumber five soldiers or this or that. They are armed, they are trained, and let’s not forget that they are state weapons.”

Mr Kotoko’s comments follow an incident on November 1 at Bronikrom, where a team from the anti-illegal mining task force reportedly came under attack while carrying out an operation.

Two Members of Parliament — Asutifi North’s Ebenezer Kwaku Addo and Asutifi South’s Collins Dauda — have been accused of involvement in the confrontation.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has since condemned the incident, stressing that Parliament will not shield any MP found guilty of misconduct.

Mr Kotoko said the situation could have ended tragically had the security personnel not maintained restraint.

“Even in the short video I saw, I asked three questions. What if the police had not been able to exert some level of control? What if the Chief Imam of the area, whose vehicle was even vandalised, had not provided a cover for them? And what if the military or the NAIMOS task force thought of what happened to Major Mahama in 2016 and decided to say, This level of aggression now requires maximum protection, because they were armed?” he asked.

He commended the officers for their professionalism, noting that military training is designed for lethal combat and not crowd control.

“Security operatives and analysts say all the time the military is trained to kill, they don’t shoot to maim, they shoot to kill. So that’s their training,” he explained.

“So for you to imagine a military officer who is fully armed and attacked by 600 plus young civilians, yet they kept their calm when they are holding weapons, which, when fired, one bullet can run through maybe four or five people. I must commend them,” he added.

Mr Kotoko said the youth must understand that every soldier represents the authority of the state and carries state-owned weapons. He cautioned that any attempt to attack such officers risks sparking a deadly response.

“Every military person you see is an asset with a state weapon. So when he comes under such kind of intense pressure, and as a human, he would also want to protect himself, and self-preservation is always key,” he said.

Mr Kotoko urged traditional and community leaders to guide their youth away from mob actions that endanger both civilians and security personnel.