Government Investigates Hamile Explosion as Curfew Is Imposed

The government has launched an investigation into an explosion at Hamile in the Upper West Region that killed a Ghana Immigration Service officer and a tricycle rider during a border patrol operation.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak said security agencies were working together to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He cautioned that it was premature to draw conclusions about the cause of the explosion or the events leading to it. The minister said the findings would inform the government’s next steps.

Immigration Service Account

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) said the explosion occurred in the early hours of November 3 along an unapproved route in the Hamile Sector, near Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso.

According to the Service, a four-member patrol team intercepted a man transporting a load on a tricycle. The rider attempted to flee, and the load exploded as officers tried to stop him.

The GIS said the rider died at the scene and two officers were injured. One of the officers later died, while the other was taken to Nandom Hospital for treatment. The Service did not identify the material that exploded.

The Interior Minister later told Parliament that an Air Force medical team had been dispatched to airlift the injured officer to Accra for specialist care.

The Lambussie District Chief Executive also reported that a second civilian had died. Accounts of the wider casualty toll and how the deaths occurred have differed as investigations continue.

Curfew and Weapons Ban

Following the incident, the Interior Ministry imposed a curfew on Hamile Township and surrounding communities in the Lambussie District. The restriction runs from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., with immediate effect.

The ministry also banned the carrying of arms, ammunition and offensive weapons in the affected area. It urged chiefs, opinion leaders, young people and other residents to exercise restraint and use peaceful means to express grievances.

The GIS said the scene had been secured and appealed to the public to avoid circulating unverified information or images. It said further updates would be communicated as the investigation progresses.

Source: Omanghana