Five Killed in Clash Between Illegal Timber Loggers in Western North Region

By Berimah Kantinka || Contributor

A violent confrontation between two rival groups of illegal timber loggers in the Juaboso District of the Western North Region has resulted in the deaths of five individuals.

The clash, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at Sefwi Agyemadiem, also left several others severely injured.

According to eyewitnesses, the two groups were involved in unauthorized timber harvesting activities, a practice that has become increasingly common in the region.

Tensions between the groups had been escalating over control of prime logging areas, ultimately leading to the fatal conflict.

The incident saw the two factions engage in a deadly confrontation using machetes, pump-action guns, and other tools. A Mitsubishi pickup was also set ablaze during the scuffle.

The police have been deployed to the area to restore calm and transport the deceased to the morgue. The injured have been rushed to the Sefwi Asawinso Hospital for treatment.

The clash has sparked widespread concern over the growing threat posed by illegal logging activities in the region.

Residents and local authorities have called for more stringent enforcement of forestry laws to protect the region’s forests from further exploitation.

The incident comes just days after the Chief of Sefwi Boinzan, Nana Ofori Ahenkan II, called on the government to address the growing lawlessness in the forest reserves of the region.