The disturbing footage reveals terrorists jubilantly counting loot and enjoying music, basking in the financial gains of their harmful exploits in Nigeria.
A Nigerian terrorist, Sarkin Yaki, has flaunted the ransoms paid to him and his group by families of kidnapped victims.
In multiple videos shared on his TikTok page, @sarkinyaki34f with 7,893 followers and 27,700 likes, the terrorist is seen arranging bundles of N1,000 and N500 notes on a mat inside a forest.
The disturbing footage reveals terrorists jubilantly counting loot and enjoying music, basking in the financial gains of their harmful exploits in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a concerning trend has emerged on Nigerian TikTok, with an influx of terrorist elements exploiting social media platforms to lure unsuspecting individuals into their ranks.
For instance, in August, an infamous bandit, known for flaunting ransom payments on social media, went live on TikTok from his hideout.
A security analyst and counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad area Zagazola Makama shared a photo of the armed bandit engaging with viewers during the live video session.
The armed man was seen engaging directly with viewers during a live video session on his TikTok account.
Earlier this year, a terrorist also made a strange request in a viral TikTok video when he asked Nigerians to share their bank account details to show appreciation for those who praised their leader, Mohammed Bello Turji Kachalla, during recent nationwide protests against economic hardship.
The terrorist claimed that their group was grateful and pleased that their leader was referred to as a 'hero' by some individuals from the northern region.
He said, “May the peace and blessings be with you all Nigerians. Protesters, we heard you guys are praising Mohammed Bello Turji.
“We are grateful, we are grateful to you, may you achieve success. Bello Turji is greeting. Send your account details; Bello Turji wants to do something for you people.”
A report released by the SBM Intelligence shows that no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted across Nigeria between July 2023 and July 2024.
The report noted that the security crisis has become increasingly complex, with armed groups and non-state actors exploiting the state’s weakened influence.
It was noted that some of the issues include Boko Haram’s resurgence in the Northeast, armed gangs in the North Central and Northwest, secessionist violence in the Southeast, and gang-related issues in the Southwest.
“Amid these diverse security threats, widespread kidnap for ransom has emerged as a common thread. Between July 2023 and June 2024, our research found that no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted in 1,130 incidents across the country,” the report says.
“In that same period, kidnappers demanded at least the sum of N10,995,090,000 (approximately $6,871,931) as ransom but received N1,048,110,000, a mere 9.5% of the money demanded, indicating that kidnappers have become less targeted in their victimology.
“Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina have the highest numbers of incidents and victims.”
In some instances, kidnappers opt for non-monetary ransom like foodstuffs, especially in the Northwest and North Central regions which have exhibited higher numbers of in-kind (non-monetary) ransom demands.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMhWKaPgC/