Guinea: 1,263 gold miners jailed in Siguiri since 2 November ban
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on L’Infodrome and Lefaso.net
Since the total ban on gold panning in the administrative region of Siguiri, in force since 2 November 2026, Guinea has arrested 1,263 people, including Burkinabe nationals. Those arrested were taken to Conakry to be questioned as part of the judicial proceedings, according to Lefaso.net.
The 1,263 people arrested in Siguiri have been taken to Conakry for the purposes of the judicial proceedings, according to a joint statement from Guinea's ministries of National Defence and Security and Civil Protection dated 7 November. Judicial police officers from the police and gendarmerie are questioning them before they are brought before the competent courts.
Twenty-two civilian and military territorial administrators in Siguiri, including the acting governor, four prefects and 17 sub-prefects, have also been removed from the civil service by presidential decree. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation has also dismissed 479 district and neighbourhood presidents, all of whom have been called to answer before the courts.
Operations against uncontrolled and illegal gold mining are continuing in Mandiana, Kérouané and Kouroussa as well as in other mining areas. The Guinean authorities say that anyone involved, regardless of nationality, will be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.
