A deeply troubling trend has emerged in Nigeria’s security landscape, with band!ts from the northwest openly flaunting their criminal activities on TikTok live sessions to millions of viewers, and in some cases, directly threatening the nation’s highest office.
In a video that spread rapidly online late Wednesday, a band!t dressed in a green balaclava brazenly issued a ransom demand targeting Abuja, drawing hundreds of live viewers in real time.
The brazen broadcast is part of a growing pattern among armed groups operating across states such as Zamfara and Katsina, where criminals have taken to social media to publicly display ransom cash, weapons, and even conduct so-called giveaways moments that have prompted desperate viewers to willingly submit their bank account details to known band!ts in hopes of receiving money.
In one particularly shocking instance, a self-described celebrity band!t boasted of spending over ₦50 million on a single TikTok live session, while another openly acknowledged spending close to ₦100 million money he confirmed was sourced directly from ransom payments.
In a pointed message to viewers, the band!t called out the hypocrisy of those who publicly condemn their actions yet eagerly send account numbers during giveaways, saying those same people are well aware that the funds come from ransom proceeds.
Perhaps most alarming was a direct threat reportedly made against President Tinubu, his son, and his family, with a band!t claiming on live that their sponsors had ordered them to target the president, warning that unless a ransom of $50 million was paid, they would move on Abuja to carry out an abd¥ction.
While authorities have made some arrests including a suspect known as “Sule Yellow” who was apprehended following online boasts no official response has been made public regarding the direct threat to the presidency.
The incidents have intensified concerns over the worsening security situation in Nigeria, where band!t-related vi0lence claimed over 1,000 lives last year alone.