News
Digital identity will track illegal miners– Alake
The Federal Government is seeking to deploy digital identity technology to track mining operators, strengthen regulation and curb insecurity in the solid minerals sector.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, stated this when he received the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, the ministry and NIMC are exploring deeper collaboration to promote digital identity, strengthen governance and accelerate reforms in the mining sector.
Alake described NIMC as a critical institution in Nigeria’s development architecture, stressing that effective governance, regulation and national planning could not be achieved without credible identity management and reliable data.
“NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. It is pivotal to the development of any nation because governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems,” the minister said.
He said the ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector required stronger collaboration with agencies responsible for identity management, particularly in efforts to improve transparency, accountability and security across the mining value chain.
Alake said a credible identity system would make it easier for the government to identify and track operators, monitor mining activities and distinguish legitimate operators from those engaged in illegal activities.
“Without identification, we cannot trace; we cannot track, and insecurity will flourish. In the solid minerals sector, we need effective tracking of both legal and illegal operations.
“A credible identity ecosystem will strengthen regulation, improve enforcement and support our efforts to sanitise the sector,” he said.
The minister identified technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity as key tools for evidence-based policymaking, improved regulatory oversight, efficient licensing and investment promotion.
He said the availability of accurate and verifiable data would also help the government to better understand the activities of operators in the sector and design policies capable of supporting sustainable development.
The push for stronger digital identity integration comes amid the Federal Government’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, which has continued to face challenges including illegal mining, weak monitoring of operators, insecurity and inadequate data on activities across the value chain.
The government has repeatedly said that better regulation, improved data and stronger enforcement are critical to unlocking the sector’s contribution to the economy and reducing the activities of illegal miners.
Earlier, Coker-Odusote highlighted several areas of possible collaboration between NIMC and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
She said the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 had strengthened the legal framework for Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and created opportunities for deeper integration of identity management into government operations.
According to her, the integration of NIMC’s digital identity infrastructure into the solid minerals sector would support database integration across government agencies, improve regulatory compliance and strengthen security and law enforcement.
She also said it would enhance the monitoring of mining operators and provide stronger support for the implementation of Community Development Agreements in mining host communities.
Coker-Odusote said reliable digital identity would enable government institutions to build more accurate databases and improve service delivery and transparency in public administration.
She added that the new legal framework would accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data sharing and strengthen the ability of government agencies to deliver services to Nigerians and legal residents.
The NIMC boss said the commission’s infrastructure could support the creation of a more reliable identity ecosystem for the mining sector, helping regulators to verify operators and improve monitoring across the country.
Both institutions expressed their commitment to strengthening collaboration through technology-driven initiatives aimed at supporting the Ministry’s reforms and improving governance in the mining sector.
The partnership is also expected to contribute to improved security, greater transparency and stronger accountability in the management of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
By Prosper Olayiwola
A House of Assembly Candidate for Ikole Constituency 1 on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kayode Arewa Sanni, has called on his constituents, party members and supporters to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Arewa Sanni made the call in Ikole-Ekiti while addressing party faithful and supporters at a stakeholders’ meeting convened to strengthen grassroots mobilisation in the constituency.
He said the 2027 elections present a defining moment for the people of Ikole Constituency 1 to chart a new course of inclusive representation, people-oriented legislation and accelerated development.
The candidate noted that disunity among party members and supporters remains the greatest obstacle to victory, stressing that only a united front can dislodge entrenched interests and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“I appeal to all our party leaders, members, supporters and well-wishers across Ikole Constituency 1 to put aside personal differences and work together as one family. Our strength lies in our unity,” he said.
Arewa Sanni said his candidacy was driven by a desire to give Ikole Constituency 1 a vibrant and responsive voice in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, with focus on youth empowerment, education, healthcare and rural infrastructure.
He assured constituents that if given the mandate, he would prioritise quality representation and ensure that government presence is felt in all communities within the constituency.
He also called on supporters of the ADC across Ekiti State to rally behind the party’s vision of good governance, transparency and accountability as preparations for the 2027 polls gather momentum.
The aspirant expressed confidence that with unity, commitment and collective effort, the ADC would emerge victorious in Ikole Constituency 1 and other constituencies across the state.
No fewer than six inmates have died within one week following a suspected cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State.
Amnesty International raised the alarm in a post on its official Facebook page, calling on authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the correctional facility.
Amnesty said several other inmates were currently receiving treatment, warning that the death toll could be higher as the suspected disease continues to spread among prisoners.
It urged the authorities to immediately transfer critically ill inmates to hospitals for proper medical attention to prevent further deaths.
The organisation warned that failure to urgently intervene could amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, which it described as a serious human rights violation under international law.
Amnesty also expressed concern over the broader conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities, particularly the prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial.
According to the organisation, detainees without financial means face greater difficulty having their rights protected, with some spending years in custody without being convicted of any crime.
It further said many inmates were being held in overcrowded and unhygienic cells without adequate food and healthcare.
Amnesty called for urgent reforms to improve conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities and ensure compliance with international best practices.
Popular media personality and self-acclaimed relationship expert, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has reportedly lost her second son while remanded in custody.
The development was confirmed in an online appeal by Amira Agiye, head of the Isaamira Love Foundation, who spoke on Okoro’s behalf to request public financial assistance.
She said, “It is sad to announce to you all that Blessing CEO just lost her second son. My name is Amira Agiye.
“I’m here to appeal on behalf of Blessing CEO, who is currently in custody. I understand that people might have different opinions about her and the circumstances surrounding her case.
“And like every one of us, she deserves compassion and an opportunity for redemption.
She needs N20 million to meet the bail requirements. She also needs N36 million to pay the people she owes who brought the case against her.
“Please, Nigerians, let’s forgive her for the sake of that boy who is still in the mortuary. With Blessing’s full consent and authorisation, I’m appealing to all Nigerians to help donate so we can help her out of this situation.”
Also speaking in a voice conversation played by Amira, Blessing, CEO, said, “My second son, Bryan, was full of life. While in custody, I lost Bryan.
I pray this turns out positive so I can leave this place, pick up the pieces of my life and pay my respects to him.”
Recall that the self-acclaimed relationship expert was remanded in Kirikiri Prison over an N69.15 million property fraud trial.
She was granted N20 million bail in July 2026, with two sureties in like sum, and each surety was required to provide three years’ proof of deposits valued at N20 million.
Following her inability to meet the bail conditions, Blessing CEO, remains in prison facility two months after she was granted bail.
House of Assembly Candidate, Sanni Urges Unity Among Ekiti ADC Members
Between Governor Soludo and Peter Obi: The Truth in Between
Six inmates die in one week amid suspected cholera outbreak in Kano prison
-
News19 hours agoHow AI Could Cause the catastrophic death of a Billion people — Billionaire Bill Gates Warns
-
Sports18 hours agoAFCON Qualifier: Nigeria Defeats Madagascar
-
News19 hours agoPolice Arrest Officer Who Said Igbo Man Can Never Be President
-
News18 hours agoPastor Adeboye Welcomes 105 Nigerians Repatriated From South Africa
-
Politics8 hours agoBefore dreaming of Aso Villa, APM should first find its feet-Ali Campaign Organization
-
News18 hours agoAnambra: Peter Obi left $155m in three banks — Otti