Assessment of Artisanal Mining and Its Link to Criminal Networks in Plateau State

Artisanal and small-scale mining in Nigeria's mineral-rich North Central states has been linked to organised criminal activities including armed robbery, illegal weapons proliferation, and terror group funding, creating significant security challenges for host communities. This study assessed the security dimensions of artisanal mining and its link to criminal networks in Barkin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted, with in-depth interviews conducted with 15 mining community members, 8 security officials, and 4 state Mines Inspectorate officers, supplemented by documentary review of security incident reports from 2021 to 2023. Thematic analysis was applied. Results identified three categories of criminal network involvement in artisanal mining: extortion of miners by armed groups (cited by 86.7 percent of informants), illegal arms acquisition through mineral proceeds (73.3 percent), and exploitation of mining camps as bases for cattle rustling and kidnapping operations (60 percent). Formalisation of artisanal mining was rated as very low, with only 26.7 percent of surveyed miners having valid mining licences. Security agency presence was described as inadequate for the geographic spread of mining operations. The study concludes that artisanal mining in Plateau State requires simultaneous formalisation and security governance reform. Recommendations include mining licence enforcement, community security partnerships, armed group surrender incentive programmes, and mining revenue sharing with host communities to reduce criminal alternatives.

Keywords: artisanal mining, criminal networks, Plateau State, resource crime, North Central Nigeria