Africa: The Criminalisation Trap in Africa’s Responses to Artisanal Mining
Crackdowns often punish miners who are trying to survive, fuelling crime and conflict while leaving powerful players untouched. Thirty-seven boys and young men died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, last month. Accused of being ‘illegal miners’, they were arrested during raids by the Mining…