Mining Week sharpens focus on long-neglected sector in Nigeria

Nigeria concluded a three-day conference Wednesday to mark National Mining Week. Authorities in the West African nation have been seeking to expand investments in the mining industry in a bid to diversify the economy, amid the global surge in demand for minerals.

The conference, attended by government officials, mining industry players and international investors, was part of the Nigerian government's campaign to boost not only mining, but also local processing of the minerals extracted.

Earlier this year, the Nigerian government said new investors will be required to set up local processing plants if they want to obtain a mining license.

Mary Ogbe, permanent secretary of the mining and solid minerals industry, spoke about the impending changes.

"Before now, people will come in, cart away our minerals and go and refine [them] and bring [them] back and then we're paying so much on what belongs to us,” she said. “Now, with the local value addition, no one is allowed to legally carry out our products without adding value. Now, this is creating jobs.”

Nigeria has rich deposits of more than 40 minerals, including tin, iron ore, lead, zinc and gold. The country is also a new source of lithium, a metal used in batteries and electric vehicles.

But the country's minerals are often illegally exploited and exported without generating much revenue locally.

At the summit authorities pledged to address the problem by investing in mining technologies, surveillance, data gathering, community enlightenment and enforcement of mining laws.

In March, authorities deployed 2,500 agents to police unauthorized mining activities.
This week, the government said the “Mining Marshal Corps” has arrested more than 300 illegal miners, including foreign nationals.

But economist and founder of the Center for Social Justice Eze Onyekpere said authorities are still not doing enough to boost income from the mining sector.

"It's been a mantra of successive governments to improve government revenue by diversifying into the solid minerals sector, but we're getting very infinitesimal sum of money from solid minerals mining,” he said. “And it's not as if we don't have enough solid minerals or that mining is not taking place, it is because solid minerals mining has been converted to a criminal activity especially in those areas where there's security threats and crisis but the federal government has not taken it seriously."

Despite the government's lofty goals, the mining sector contributed only about 0.77% of Nigeria’s GDP last year.

Onyekpere says until the government gets more serious, Nigeria's mining industry will not be able to reach its potential.

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA 

Related story: Nigeria government cracks down on illegal Lithium mining operations

Video - Health workers relieved as mpox vaccination campaign starts in Nigeria

The government started the long-delayed program on Monday. The effort targets medics and those with low immunity. Now fully protected, many health workers say they feel confident they can help curb the spread of the virus.

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Video - Entrepreneur introduces reverse vending machines to help curb plastic pollution in Nigeria

The machines collect and sort plastic bottles and other items. In return, people receive money for every bottle they bring in for recycling.

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Stop Sextortion - bereaved parents' appeal to criminals in Nigeria

The parents of a British teenager who took his own life after becoming a victim of sextortion have made a direct appeal to criminals in Nigeria to stop "terrorising" the vulnerable.

Murray Dowey, from Dunblane, was only 16 when he ended his life last year.

It is thought he had been tricked by criminals in West Africa into sending intimate pictures of himself and then blackmailed.

Murray’s mother and father also condemned social media companies for not doing enough to protect young people, saying they have "blood on their hands."

Sextortion often involves victims being sent a nude picture or video before being asked to send their own in return.

They then receive threats the material will be shared with family and friends unless they meet the blackmailer's demands - pressure it is believed led Murray to take his own life.

Mark and Ros Dowey have now recorded a video message regarding the "cruel" crime.

They said: “You’re abusing children. You've ended Murray's life.

“How would they feel if it was their child or their little brother or their friend? I mean, it's so cruel, and this is children, and it's abuse”.

“You're terrorising people, children, for some money, and I don't think in any society that is in any way acceptable”.

Sextortion has become big business in Nigeria involving thousands of young men nicknamed “yahoo boys”.

Guides on how to get involved in the crime are openly for sale online, as a BBC News investigation revealed earlier this year.

BBC News Investigations spent months communicating with a man in Nigeria actively involved in sextortion, persuading him to give an insight into this world.

He spoke to our colleagues in Lagos on condition of anonymity.

He told them: “I know that it's bad, but I just call it survival of the fittest.”

He described sextortion as like an “industry” and admitted he treats it like a game.

He added: “It depends on the fish you catch. You might throw the hook in the sea. You might catch small fish or big fish."

However he was then played Ros and Mark’s recorded message and appeared shocked by it.

He said he was "almost crying" and felt "very bad”.

However Murray’s parents don’t only blame the criminals for their son's death.

They hold tech companies responsible too.

Sextorters find their victims by targeting individuals on social media then using their list of friends and followers in their blackmail attempts.

Ros told BBC News: “I think they've got blood on their hands. The technologies are there for them to stop so many of these crimes.”

Mark believes Silicon Valley could do more but that they won't as it would cost them money.

He added: "It will stop them making more billions than they're making”.


'No chance to intervene'

Analysis by the UK’s National Crime Agency found that all age groups and genders are being targeted, but that a large proportion of victims are boys and aged between 14 and 18.

Police believe there is underreporting of the crime because victims are too scared or embarrassed to come forward.

Mark told the BBC his son was "a really lovely kid" and that his parents had no idea anything was wrong.

He said: "He went up to his room, and he was absolutely fine. And you know, we found him dead the next morning”.

His mother Ros added: “We had no chance to intervene, to notice there was something wrong and try and help and fix it”.

The Dowey family were involved in a campaign launch in Edinburgh, which warns young people about the dangers of sextortion.

The Fearless campaign brings together Police Scotland, Crimestoppers and the Scottish government. It highlights the risks of sharing intimate images online and offers advice on what to do and where to go for help if someone is targeted by criminals.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said it was "difficult but not impossible" to track offenders - and that it was important for people to report crimes to police to help with evidence gathering.

He added the force would target criminals no matter where they are in the world.

Mark and Ros told BBC News they had a message for any young person who finds themselves a victim of sextortion.

The couple stated: “There's nothing that is worth taking your own life for so if something happens to you, put that phone down and go and get somebody you trust and tell them it's happened.”

“We can’t have this happening to more children, what happened to Murray."

By Angus Crawford and Tony Smith, BBC

Related stories: Nigerian brothers get 17 years for sextortion that led to Michigan teen's death

How sextortion scammers in Nigeria targeted my son

Two arrested in Nigeria for sextortion after Australian boy's suicide

Nigeria’s Chidimma Adetshina emerges second at Miss Universe 2024

Nigeria’s representative, Chidimma Adetshina, finished as the first runner-up at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico.

The final moments of the prestigious event at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico announced early Sunday morning saw an electrifying face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women stood poised to claim the crown.

The competition, described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

In a post via Instagram, the organisers said, “The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.”

Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.

Meanwhile, Adetshina’s exceptional performance and grace earned her widespread admiration from judges and audiences alike.

Earlier, Adetshina’s official withdrawal from the Miss South Africa 2024 contest, which she had advanced to the final stage of, caused controversy a few months ago.

She made the decision in response to worries expressed by some South Africans who questioned her nationality.

Nevertheless, Adetshina went on to represent Taraba State and win the title of Miss Universe Nigeria.

This is not the first time a Nigerian has achieved this feat.

On November 16, 2001, Nigeria’s Agbani Darego became the first Black African to win the coveted Miss World title at the age of 18.

As a result of her success, “Agbani” became a phrase linked to slender beauty in Nigeria, where many women looked up to her appearance.

As the first Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria winner to win Miss World, Agbani’s triumph rippled throughout Nigeria and was a great moment for the continent.

By Makua Ubanagu,Punch