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A number of press reports have been published about online sexual exploitation and teen cyber-dating violence in Nigeria, but this is the first time ever a Nigerian journalist will seek, dig and tell the hidden story.
During this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when people are spending far more time online at home, reports of child sexual exploitation activity are up by an average of 30 percent globally, according to InHope.
I deployed my middle name, Adeola – a gender-neutral name, presented myself as a secondary school 16-year-old girl-student, used my partner’s portrait (with her absolute consent), and found platforms that can sometimes open the door to predators who do not care to meeting up with children.
It can go beyond sexual exploitation, with some predators also kidnapping and killing.
In December 2018, one Vincent Idumonyi abducted and twice raped a 16-year-old girl he had met on Facebook after luring her to a hotel in Edo state.
Earlier in the same year, in the UK, a 16-year-old boy killed a 14-year-old girl he had met on social media and even went ahead to rape her corpse.
The Use Of Social Media Among Adolescents In Nigeria
A past Pew Internet Project report revealed that 93% of teens ages 12-17 go online - globally.
Nigeria’s Sexual Offences Bill stipulates 18 years as the age of consent, yet, multiple men on the cyberspace used vulgar languages towards me, with some even plainly expressing their paramount desire to have sex with teenage me.
I fielded direct messages from ‘older men’ who would make lewd requests.
Nigerian Dating Site, Naijaplanet allows users to be at least 18 years of age. So, bearing that in mind, I signed up with 30 - but always stress to anyone I’m chatting with that I am under-18.
Although, the website, in its own discretion, do suspend and terminate accounts found culpable of fraudulent, abusive, or otherwise illegal activity, there exists Nigeria-based users who actively encourage illegality.
A few dating pages and groups on Facebook for Nigerian teenagers (13-19) were stumbled upon. In one, named ‘Dating Site For Nigerian Teenagers -13-19’, link to join its WhatsApp group was provided, and I swiftly connected.
One member revealed he discovered the platform via Google Search Engine Results Pages.
Indeed, in this clime, Facebook requires users to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account, but creating a social media page specifically for Nigerian teenagers romancing? That lifted my curiosity!
Teenage girls are members of this messaging service group which allows them to be targeted with vile sexual messages from older men.
While some users openly say they are male looking to meet under-age girls, some are adults trying to contact naive youngsters, my investigation found.
The WhatsApp group I joined was supposedly for 13 to 19, but a 29-year-old man hooked up with me!
One Emmanuel messaged me privately and started love-bombing: “I will take good care of you”; “I will always cherish you”; “I will always make you happy”, he sings.
Emmanuel went further, inquiring about my “privacy at home” and seemingly promising me hot sex. “We will kill ourselves,” he slobbers.
Afterwards, when this reporter challenged Emmanuel and asked him if he is aware of the age of consent in Nigeria, he says he was not intent on any sexual act.
“When the girl told me she is 16, I told her we shouldn’t engage in anything, that I’m not interested,” he says.
“I already left the group and have in fact deleted it when I discovered I’m not supposed to be in there.”
For Adewale, 25, “age is just a number”, as it is ‘not a problem’ for him dating a girl who clearly emphasized to him she is 16.
27-year-old Martinez, from Edo, tried to use the tactics of grooming, to gain my trust - displaying lots of attention and affection. “I dreamt of you last night,” he flatters.
But reached latterly, Martinez contested and argued that “she told me she is 18”.
On Naijaplanet, this reporter posed as a 30-year-old lady to sign up to the site using the name Aderay1.
Expectedly, I was bombarded with private messages from grown men. But some of whom disturbingly, clearly had more in mind than a friendly chat, despite telling them I am underage.
Abhishek (Username: Abshu987) told me he is the staff of a pharmaceutical company in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
His profile reads a 29 years old Indian man, seeking a woman of at least 18 years of age.
A stream of sickening messages happened.
Abhishek’s conversation with me was nothing but naughty, declaring that he ‘would like to broke my virginity’ [sic], wanting to know about my public hair and fantasising how he is going to indulge in oral sex with me.
I played up my role as an innocent teenager, replying him that I had never done anything like that before.
The encounter took a sinister turn when he offered: “I will make you a lot of experience” [sic].
35-year-old Nelson attempted to develop a relationship with me, promising me gifts or money.
Despite informing him I am 16, he made known his wish of “good kissing and romance”.
He showered me with compliments, telling me how beautiful I was and declaring: “I love you baby”.
While this exposé unabashedly unmasks persons with exploitative tendencies, some individuals still show they are honourable.
Jide, 30, without mincing words told me: “You are not supposed to be on this site.” Additionally, he warned me to “be careful”.
Ibadan-based Adekunle, 40, who is looking for “a serious and God-fearing lady that is ready for a serious relationship and a happy home”, rather than persist on a romantic relationship, ceased and respected my decision.
In the interval, when this reporter reached out to Naijaplanet for their comment on his investigation, asking them how they are able to identify suspicious behaviours on their site, the network highlights its registration minimum of 18.
For Facebook, they say they have “zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation and that reporting such to law enforcement remains a top priority”.
Aisha Yakubu, Co-founder of Al-Ilm Child Trust, advises teenagers growing up in this culture to always speak out.
“Speak up; speak out. Always be yourself and respect people,” Yakubu admonishes.
On Facebook pages (open to Nigerian public) which are plainly dedicated to children dating, Yakubu says “it has become a responsibility for every adult that comes across such pages to report the page”.
From my probe, one thing is clear: authorities in Nigeria need to impose greater responsibility on operators to identify suspicious behaviours.
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