At least 100 people were killed in April as a new wave of jihadist violence swept through Borno State, Nigeria’s long-standing epicenter of insurgency. Governor Babagana Zulum has warned that the state is once again losing ground to armed groups.
Meanwhile, jihadists — including Boko Haram militants — have turned to TikTok to flaunt weapons, cash, and spread violent propaganda. Videos reviewed by AFP show men livestreaming with anti-Western sermons, echoing the early rhetoric of Boko Haram’s former leader, Abubakar Shekau.
Security analyst Bulama Bukarti of the Bridgeway Foundation revealed he was directly threatened in one such video, later deleted by the platform.
“Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows — spreading propaganda, justifying violence and threatening critics,” Bukarti wrote on X.
Although TikTok has taken down several flagged accounts, many remain active, complicating efforts to monitor live content tied to extremist ideologies. A spokesperson said the platform is working to improve detection but could not provide figures on how many terror-linked accounts had been removed.
This marks a dangerous digital evolution of Nigeria’s insurgency — merging social media influence with real-world violence.