Latest news with #AbubakarShekau
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jihadists in Nigeria using TikTok to spread ideology and recruit fighters
Jihadist groups including Boko Haram are increasing in numbers and strength in northeastern Nigeria, and using social media to publicise their campaigns and find new recruits. Jihadists in Nigeria and their supporters are increasingly turning to social media platform TikTok, posting videos of themselves posing with rifles, grenades and stacks of cash, according to reports by French news agency AFP. AFP reviewed videos on the social network, easily accessible to everyone, they said. At least 100 people were killed in the new wave of jihadist attacks in April, as the governor of Borno, the epicentre of the violence which has raged since 2009, said the state is losing ground to armed groups. The news agency has identified several accounts on the Chinese-owned platform on which men and women, some of them very young, display weapons and wads of cash. Algerian TikTok influencer convicted in France for inciting terrorism Some of them broadcast live, preaching anti-Western ideologies in a style reminiscent of the videos released by deceased Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in the early days of the 15-year-old insurgency. Criminal gangs that carry out raids on villages and kidnappings for ransom in the northwest of the country have used TikTok in the past, as Nigerians have testified. (with AFP) Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:Young Nigerian entrepreneurs seek to reshape relationship with FranceChina courts African allies as tensions with Europe, US deepenCombatting 'fake' news in Africa
France 24
16-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda
At least 100 people were killed in the new wave of jihadist attacks in April alone, as the governor of Borno, the epicentre of the violence which has raged since 2009, said the state is losing ground to armed groups. At the same time, apparent jihadists and their boosters on TikTok were flaunting rifles, grenades and stacks of cash, according to easily accessible videos reviewed by AFP that same month. They broadcast live in joint videos with accounts run by men preaching anti-Western ideologies in a style reminiscent of the videos released by deceased Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in the early days of the 15-year-old insurgency. Criminal gangs that carry out raids on villages and kidnap for ransom in the northwest of the country have used TikTok in the past. "It started with bandits," Bulama Bukarti, a vice president at Texas-based Bridgeway Foundation wrote on X. "Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows -- spreading propaganda, justifying their violence and threatening anyone who dares speak against them." A Boko Haram fighter threatened Bukarti himself in a now-deleted TikTok video for speaking against the group, he said. While many of the accounts on the video sharing app have been flagged and taken down, the capability of broadcasting live streams on the platform adds another layer of difficulty to monitoring the content they put out. A TikTok spokesperson said it was difficult to quantify the number of accounts linked to terrorist organisations that have been taken down. While some of these accounts have been deleted, several others remain active, according to accounts viewed by AFP at the time of publication. "Terrorist groups and content related to these groups have no place on TikTok, and we take an uncompromising stance against enabling violent extremism on or off our platform," a spokesperson for the company told AFP in an emailed statement. 'It's paying off' Among the 19 accounts reviewed by AFP were men dressed as clerics, their faces revealed to the camera even as they called for violence against the government and teamed up with accounts that showed off weapons hauls. Accounts also post old footage of the original Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, and those of Isah Garo Assalafy, who was banned from preaching in public places in Niger state for using violent rhetoric against democracy and Western civilisation. These accounts frequently go live, interacting with followers, answering questions and receiving digital gifts that can be converted into cash. Nigeria's jihadist conflict, which over the years has expanded to include a rival Islamic State group, has killed more than 40,000 and displaced some two million people in Africa's most populous country. Saddiku Muhammad, a former jihadist who has since defected, told AFP that armed groups are turning to TikTok in part because security forces cracked down on the encrypted messaging app Telegram. They also know TikTok is popular with young people. "Jihadists realised that to capture the minds of young people, they need to speak to them in the language they understand -- instead of the traditional didactic and demagogic styles that are boring and unattractive to them," Muhammad said. "From all indications, it is paying off. They are reaching out to young potential recruits." 'They aren't afraid' Analysts told AFP that the use of TikTok by members of armed groups is a direct challenge to the government. Malik Samuel, an Abuja-based security analyst at the pan-African think tank Good Governance Africa, said it is a common Boko Haram tactic to use the group's young members to spread propaganda. "I believe showing their faces is strategic -- to show that they aren't afraid and to let their target know that they are engaging with real people," Samuel said. Islamic State West Africa Province, however, still appears to follow a more polished, top-down communication strategy than the apparent Boko Haram jihadists posting on TikTok, he said. TikTok said it has partnered with UN-backed Tech Against Terrorism to improve the detection and removal of violent extremist content. "Our community guidelines clearly state that we do not allow the presence of violent and hateful organisations or individuals on our platform," it said.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda
Jihadists in northeastern Nigeria are surging -- and using social media to spread the word of their campaigns and recruit fighters. At least 100 people were killed in the new wave of jihadist attacks in April alone, as the governor of Borno, the epicentre of the violence which has raged since 2009, said the state is losing ground to armed groups. At the same time, apparent jihadists and their boosters on TikTok were flaunting rifles, grenades and stacks of cash, according to easily accessible videos reviewed by AFP that same month. They broadcast live in joint videos with accounts run by men preaching anti-Western ideologies in a style reminiscent of the videos released by deceased Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in the early days of the 15-year-old insurgency. Criminal gangs that carry out raids on villages and kidnap for ransom in the northwest of the country have used TikTok in the past. "It started with bandits," Bulama Bukarti, a vice president at Texas-based Bridgeway Foundation wrote on X. "Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows -- spreading propaganda, justifying their violence and threatening anyone who dares speak against them." A Boko Haram fighter threatened Bukarti himself in a now-deleted TikTok video for speaking against the group, he said. While many of the accounts on the video sharing app have been flagged and taken down, the capability of broadcasting live streams on the platform adds another layer of difficulty to monitoring the content they put out. A TikTok spokesperson said it was difficult to quantify the number of accounts linked to terrorist organisations that have been taken down. While some of these accounts have been deleted, several others remain active, according to accounts viewed by AFP at the time of publication. "Terrorist groups and content related to these groups have no place on TikTok, and we take an uncompromising stance against enabling violent extremism on or off our platform," a spokesperson for the company told AFP in an emailed statement. - 'It's paying off' - Among the 19 accounts reviewed by AFP were men dressed as clerics, their faces revealed to the camera even as they called for violence against the government and teamed up with accounts that showed off weapons hauls. Accounts also post old footage of the original Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, and those of Isah Garo Assalafy, who was banned from preaching in public places in Niger state for using violent rhetoric against democracy and Western civilisation. These accounts frequently go live, interacting with followers, answering questions and receiving digital gifts that can be converted into cash. Nigeria's jihadist conflict, which over the years has expanded to include a rival Islamic State group, has killed more than 40,000 and displaced some two million people in Africa's most populous country. Saddiku Muhammad, a former jihadist who has since defected, told AFP that armed groups are turning to TikTok in part because security forces cracked down on the encrypted messaging app Telegram. They also know TikTok is popular with young people. "Jihadists realised that to capture the minds of young people, they need to speak to them in the language they understand -- instead of the traditional didactic and demagogic styles that are boring and unattractive to them," Muhammad said. "From all indications, it is paying off. They are reaching out to young potential recruits." - 'They aren't afraid' - Analysts told AFP that the use of TikTok by members of armed groups is a direct challenge to the government. Malik Samuel, an Abuja-based security analyst at the pan-African think tank Good Governance Africa, said it is a common Boko Haram tactic to use the group's young members to spread propaganda. "I believe showing their faces is strategic -- to show that they aren't afraid and to let their target know that they are engaging with real people," Samuel said. Islamic State West Africa Province, however, still appears to follow a more polished, top-down communication strategy than the apparent Boko Haram jihadists posting on TikTok, he said. TikTok said it has partnered with UN-backed Tech Against Terrorism to improve the detection and removal of violent extremist content. "Our community guidelines clearly state that we do not allow the presence of violent and hateful organisations or individuals on our platform," it said. "We will always take action on content found to violate these policies." oa-abu/tba/nro/kjm
Int'l Business Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Jihadists In Nigeria Turn To TikTok To Spread Propaganda
Jihadists in northeastern Nigeria are surging -- and using social media to spread the word of their campaigns and recruit fighters. At least 100 people were killed in the new wave of jihadist attacks in April alone, as the governor of Borno, the epicentre of the violence which has raged since 2009, said the state is losing ground to armed groups. At the same time, apparent jihadists and their boosters on TikTok were flaunting rifles, grenades and stacks of cash, according to easily accessible videos reviewed by AFP that same month. They broadcast live in joint videos with accounts run by men preaching anti-Western ideologies in a style reminiscent of the videos released by deceased Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in the early days of the 15-year-old insurgency. Criminal gangs that carry out raids on villages and kidnap for ransom in the northwest of the country have used TikTok in the past. "It started with bandits," Bulama Bukarti, a vice president at Texas-based Bridgeway Foundation wrote on X. "Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows -- spreading propaganda, justifying their violence and threatening anyone who dares speak against them." A Boko Haram fighter threatened Bukarti himself in a now-deleted TikTok video for speaking against the group, he said. While many of the accounts on the video sharing app have been flagged and taken down, the capability of broadcasting live streams on the platform adds another layer of difficulty to monitoring the content they put out. A TikTok spokesperson said it was difficult to quantify the number of accounts linked to terrorist organisations that have been taken down. While some of these accounts have been deleted, several others remain active, according to accounts viewed by AFP at the time of publication. "Terrorist groups and content related to these groups have no place on TikTok, and we take an uncompromising stance against enabling violent extremism on or off our platform," a spokesperson for the company told AFP in an emailed statement. Among the 19 accounts reviewed by AFP were men dressed as clerics, their faces revealed to the camera even as they called for violence against the government and teamed up with accounts that showed off weapons hauls. Accounts also post old footage of the original Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, and those of Isah Garo Assalafy, who was banned from preaching in public places in Niger state for using violent rhetoric against democracy and Western civilisation. These accounts frequently go live, interacting with followers, answering questions and receiving digital gifts that can be converted into cash. Nigeria's jihadist conflict, which over the years has expanded to include a rival Islamic State group, has killed more than 40,000 and displaced some two million people in Africa's most populous country. Saddiku Muhammad, a former jihadist who has since defected, told AFP that armed groups are turning to TikTok in part because security forces cracked down on the encrypted messaging app Telegram. They also know TikTok is popular with young people. "Jihadists realised that to capture the minds of young people, they need to speak to them in the language they understand -- instead of the traditional didactic and demagogic styles that are boring and unattractive to them," Muhammad said. "From all indications, it is paying off. They are reaching out to young potential recruits." Analysts told AFP that the use of TikTok by members of armed groups is a direct challenge to the government. Malik Samuel, an Abuja-based security analyst at the pan-African think tank Good Governance Africa, said it is a common Boko Haram tactic to use the group's young members to spread propaganda. "I believe showing their faces is strategic -- to show that they aren't afraid and to let their target know that they are engaging with real people," Samuel said. Islamic State West Africa Province, however, still appears to follow a more polished, top-down communication strategy than the apparent Boko Haram jihadists posting on TikTok, he said. TikTok said it has partnered with UN-backed Tech Against Terrorism to improve the detection and removal of violent extremist content. "Our community guidelines clearly state that we do not allow the presence of violent and hateful organisations or individuals on our platform," it said. "We will always take action on content found to violate these policies."
Russia Today
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Roadside bomb kills dozens in African state
At least 26 people have been killed in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state after two vehicles struck an improvised explosive device in an attack claimed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Reuters reported on Tuesday. The explosion occurred on Monday while the vehicles were traveling between the towns of Rann and Gamboru Ngala, according to local residents cited by the outlet. The area lies in the heart of a region plagued by over 15 years of Islamist insurgency involving Islamic State-affiliated organizations and Boko Haram. Liman Tom, a traveler who witnessed the incident, said the vehicles were severely damaged, adding that survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals by soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) – a local group assisting in anti-insurgent operations. A local whose mother was among the victims told Reuters that he 'cannot even recognize her remains.' A security advisory from the International Safety Organization, which provides protection to foreign non-governmental organizations in the region, reportedly confirmed the blast. The group said the assault resulted in 'the death of 26 individuals and three injuries.' Police in the restive region have not yet commented on the attack, but a military officer who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity said that '26 people died in the blast, comprising 16 men, four women, and six children.' ISWAP emerged in 2016 after a split with Boko Haram, triggered by ideological and leadership disputes. Boko Haram's leader at the time, Abubakar Shekau, was criticized by Islamic State's central command for indiscriminate attacks on Muslim civilians. He was replaced by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, prompting a division between the factions. Violence linked to the insurgent groups has continued to destabilize the West African nation's northeast, displacing millions and claiming thousands of lives. The latest incident follows separate attacks over the weekend in Borno and Adamawa states, which left at least 22 people dead. In Borno's Gwoza area, ten civilians were ambushed while collecting firewood, authorities have said. Another ten were killed in Adamawa's Hong district during a raid on Kopre village. Police in Adamawa announced on Monday that security reinforcements have been deployed to the affected areas.
