Bandit flaunts ransom collected from kidnap victims on TikTok
The bandit, who’s a TikToker with 3,000 followers posted a video of him with bundles of cash suspected to be ransom collected from victims.
He has 3000 followers on Tiktok [Sahara Reporters]
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![Her skull was smashed in when she was found [Punch]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Her skull was smashed in when she was found [Punch]")
The money was suspected to have been collected from kidnap victims as ransom.
Criticising the post, secret police on X, Zagazola Makama slammed TikTok for allowing such posts on its platform.
“Audacity: Bandit on Tiktok flaunting and showing off ransom money he collected from his victims.
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“The user of the account has 3000 followers, some of them are bandits who openly show off their rifles and are dressed in military or police uniforms.
“Tiktok platform has given room for insurgents to promote their campaign of terror without being restricted,” the post read.
A recent report on kidnapping in the country reveals alarming statistics. Between July 2022 to June 2023, there were 582 kidnap-related incidents, resulting in the abduction of 3,495 individuals.
The report, conducted by SBM Intelligence, a research firm, highlights that ransom demands totalled at least ₦5 billion ($6,410,256 as of 30 June 2023). However, verified ransom payouts amounted to only ₦302 million ($387,179), representing 6% of the total demanded.
The report further delves into the dynamics of kidnappings, noting differences between individual and community cases. It highlights that larger-scale abductions often involve less secrecy.
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More so, in some instances, kidnappers opt for non-monetary ransoms such as foodstuffs, particularly in the Northwest and North Central regions, where there have been higher numbers of in-kind (non-monetary) ransom demands. These insights shed light on the complexities and varied strategies employed by kidnappers across different regions in the country.
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