The District Manager of the Forest Services Division in Nkawie, Abraham Essel says no arrests have been made so far in connection with the attack on its officer.

The victim, a member of the Rapid Response Team of the Forestry Commission was attacked by unidentified armed persons in the Offin Shelter belt Reserve in the Ashanti Region.

Fuseini Sulemana, was ambushed and severely injured while on an operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the reserve.

The incident has left Sulemana hospitalised and awaiting surgery.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Monday, Essel said that a coordinated effort involving the divisional police command, the regional security coordinating unit, and his office led to an inspection of the crime scene.

“As of now, no arrests have been made. I mentioned earlier that the divisional police command and the regional security coordinating unit, jointly in conjunction with my office, visited the scene,” he stated.

However, the perpetrators were no longer present, and all equipment used for the illegal mining, including excavators, had been evacuated from the site.

The injured officer’s condition remains stable, and preparations for surgery are underway.

Essel shared that he had been with the victim throughout the day, closely monitoring updates from medical professionals.

“He has been prepared for surgery, and so we are only hoping that the surgery will be successful. But his condition is stable per the assessment that the doctors have made,” Essel noted.