Viral videos on TikTok, showing bandits flaunting cash purportedly collected as ransom for their victims have ignited widespread anger.
A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst, Zagazola Makama, brought attention to these videos through a series of posts on his X on Monday.
Makama said the account responsible for sharing the videos has amassed over 3,000 followers, some of whom are openly identifying as bandits, proudly displaying firearms and donning military or police uniforms.
He wrote, “Audacity: Bandit on Tiktok flaunting and showing off ransom money he collected from his victims.
“The user of the account has 3,000 followers, some of them are bandits who openly show off their riffle and dressed in military or police uniforms.
“TikTok platform has given room for insurgents to promote their campaign of terror without being restricted”
In response to the videos, social media users have condemned the delayed response and apparent inaction by authorities, demanding improved security measures and a reassessment of law enforcement priorities.
An X user, dataoracle_, said, “If our intelligence system is still working, this is more than enough data to identify, track, arrest, and prosecute these criminals. We have DIA, DSS, NIA, all with significant budgets.”
Another user, mobilisingniger wrote, “The annoying thing is that the video was taken three days ago. There is a video were he was showing where he went to collect ransom from his victim.”
manzodd said, “Honestly, there is something someone is not telling us here. How can bandits collect monies from victims of abduction this much, and the monies cannot be traced, haba. Something is not pure here. There is serious lacuna in this insecurity palaver in our country.”
Kings_Things added, “Openly showing off rifles and flexing on the gram, Nigerian security forces refuse to do anything to apprehend them. Every Nigerian deserves the right to legally own a gun to protect themselves because no one will protect you better than yourself.”
“Tiktok is definitely an irresponsible application for allowing users like this person to thrive on their platform. After successfully banning Binance, the FG should now turn attention to Tiktok, ” X user MBlacktrib3 added.
aamowuN wrote, “Nigerian police spokesman brazenly bragged here that he can locate anyone who called out the Nigerian police on social media within minutes but can’t locate bandit who roams freely on social media. Abi the rule of location does not apply to terrorists?”
“Thinking TikTok is the problem here is crazy. This is an evidence of a failed state. A country that massages ego of terrorists, negotiates (funds them), reintegrates the arrested ones into the society and pays them, then set up armoured vehicles to raze down civilian communities,” #AmaraDeborah1 added.”
