Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda

Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda
Women walk past USAID tent in Dikwa, Nigeria. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 16 May 2025
Follow

Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda

Jihadists in Nigeria turn to TikTok to spread propaganda

LAGOS: 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, a security analyst at Abuja-based 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


Europol says pro-Russia hacking group broken up

Europol says pro-Russia hacking group broken up
Updated 38 sec ago
Follow

Europol says pro-Russia hacking group broken up

Europol says pro-Russia hacking group broken up
NoName057(16), was disrupted following raids in 12 countries between July 14 and 17

THE HAGUE: EU anti-crime bodies Europol and Eurojust said Wednesday they had coordinated an international operation to dismantle a pro-Russian hacking group accused of launching thousands of online attacks against Ukraine and its allies.

The network, known as NoName057(16), was disrupted following raids in 12 countries between July 14 and 17, they said.

Germany and Spain led the legal action, while police made arrests in France and Spain.

Saudi Cultural Week concludes at Osaka Expo

Saudi Cultural Week concludes at Osaka Expo
Updated 34 min 40 sec ago
Follow

Saudi Cultural Week concludes at Osaka Expo

Saudi Cultural Week concludes at Osaka Expo
  • The event was held in honor of the Kingdom’s designation of 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts
  • Visitors were welcomed into the Saudi Heritage Majlis

TOKYO: The Saudi Ministry of Culture hosted the Saudi Cultural Week in Osaka from July 12 to 15 at the Osaka Expo’s Gallery EAST to celebrate Saudi culture and the cultural intersections between Japan and Saudi Arabia.

The event was held in honor of the Kingdom’s designation of 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts and highlighted artistic exchange between the two countries.

It offered a diverse program of exhibitions, performances and interactive showcases that invited visitors to explore the Kingdom’s cultural heritage and learn about the traditions shared by both nations.

It was organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture with the participation of the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, the Saudi Artisanal Company, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy, and the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives.

Visitors were welcomed into the Saudi Heritage Majlis, where they experienced traditional Saudi hospitality and viewed side-by-side presentations of cultural garments, including a Saudi bisht and a Japanese kimono.

Live performances by a Saudi oud musician and a Japanese shamisen musician symbolized the harmony between the two cultures.

The program also featured collaborative demonstrations with Saudi and Japanese artisans presenting crafts together, including Al-Sadu weaving and Japanese tapestry, Khous making and bamboo crafting, and pottery from both traditions.

Visitors participated in hands-on workshops led by craftspeople and students, highlighting the event’s emphasis on cultural exchange and shared learning.

A photographic exhibition curated by the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives chronicled the history of Saudi Japanese relations over the past seven decades.


Doha Forum launches significant new global governance initiative at Tokyo Conference

Doha Forum launches significant new global governance initiative at Tokyo Conference
Updated 44 min 30 sec ago
Follow

Doha Forum launches significant new global governance initiative at Tokyo Conference

Doha Forum launches significant new global governance initiative at Tokyo Conference
  • This event, in collaboration with JIIA, launched a new joint research initiative
  • Over the next year, the Doha initiative aims to unite leading scholars and experts

TOKYO: The Doha Forum Tokyo Conference took place in Tokyo on Wednesday and explored the engaging theme of “Prospects for International Order and Global Governance: A World Without Navigators.”

This event, in collaboration with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), launched a new joint research initiative focused on the evolving landscape of global governance.

Mubarak Ajlan Al-Kuwari, Executive Director of the Doha Forum, emphasized in his opening remarks that multilateral institutions are facing increasing pressure, leading to a more fragmented and uncertain global governance structure.

“How can we ensure fairness, stability, and accountability in a multipolar world?” he asked. “What principles and partnerships can guide us through this evolving landscape? These questions are central to a new strategy launched today by the Doha Forum and JIIA.”

Over the next year, the Doha initiative aims to unite leading scholars and experts to focus on the role of middle powers in restoring trust, fostering cooperation, and strengthening the rules-based international system.

Panelists and speakers at the conference on Wednesday included Professor Ken Endo and Professor Satoshi Ikeuchi, both from the University of Tokyo; Professor Maiko Ichihara from Hitotsubashi University; and Professor Naoko Eto from the University.

Additionally, Professor Abdullah Baabood, Chair of the State of Qatar for Islamic Area Studies at the Faculty of International Research and Education, also participated as a speaker.

Jaber Jaralla Al-Marri, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Japan, attended the event with around 100 participants from the Japanese business, academic, diplomatic, and expert communities.

Panelists discussed current affairs in the Middle East and the role of effective players, such as Qatar and Japan, as the world witnesses the declining power of major global players, including the United States of America.

They highlighted the unique contributions of Qatar and Japan in this changing landscape, from their diplomatic efforts to their economic influence, and the potential for them to shape the future of global governance.


US sends third-country deportees under secrecy to the small African kingdom of Eswatini

US sends third-country deportees under secrecy to the small African kingdom of Eswatini
Updated 57 min 24 sec ago
Follow

US sends third-country deportees under secrecy to the small African kingdom of Eswatini

US sends third-country deportees under secrecy to the small African kingdom of Eswatini
  • The US has already deported eight men to another African country, South Sudan
  • McLaughlin said the men sent to Eswatini, who are citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos, had arrived on a plane, but didn’t say when or where

CAPE TOWN: The United States sent five men it describes as “barbaric” criminals to the small African nation of Eswatini in an expansion of the Trump administration’s largely secretive third-country deportation program, the US Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday.

The US has already deported eight men to another African country, South Sudan, after the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on sending people to countries where they have no ties. The South Sudanese government has declined to say where those men, also described as violent criminals, are after it took custody of them nearly two weeks ago.

In a late-night post on X, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the men sent to Eswatini, who are citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos, had arrived on a plane, but didn’t say when or where.

She said they were all convicted criminals and “individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back.”

The men “have been terrorizing American communities” but were now “off of American soil,” McLaughlin added.

McLaughlin said they had been convicted of crimes including murder and child rape and one was a “confirmed” gang member. Her social media posts included mug shots of the men and what she said were their criminal records. They were not named.

Like in South Sudan, there was no immediate comment from Eswatini authorities over any deal to accept third-country deportees or what would happen to them in that country. Civic groups there raised concerns over the secrecy from a government long accused of clamping down on human rights.

“There has been a notable lack of official communication from the Eswatini government regarding any agreement or understanding with the US to accept these deportees,” Ingiphile Dlamini, a spokesperson for the pro-democracy group SWALIMO, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “This opacity makes it difficult for civic society to understand the implications.”

It wasn’t clear if they were being held in a detention center, what their legal status was or what Eswatini’s plans were for the deported men, he said.

An absolute monarchy
Eswatini, previously called Swaziland, is a country of about 1.2 million people between South Africa and Mozambique. It is one of the world’s last remaining absolute monarchies and the last in Africa. King Mswati III has ruled by decree since 1986.

Political parties are effectively banned and pro-democracy groups have said for years that Mswati III has crushed political dissent, sometimes violently. Groups like SWALIMO have called for democratic reforms.

Pro-democracy protests erupted in Eswatini in 2021, when dozens were killed, allegedly by security forces. Eswatini authorities have been accused of conducting political assassinations of pro-democracy activists and imprisoning others.

Because Eswatini is a poor country with a relative lack of resources, it “may face significant strain in accommodating and managing individuals with complex backgrounds, particularly those with serious criminal convictions,” Dlamini said.

While the US administration has hailed deportations as a victory for the safety and security of the American people, Dlamini said his organization wanted to know the plans for the five men sent to Eswatini and “any potential risks to the local population.”

US is seeking more deals
The Trump administration has said it is seeking more deals with African nations to take deportees from the US Leaders from some of the five West African nations who met last week with President Donald Trump at the White House said the issue of migration and their countries possibly taking deportees from the US was discussed.

Some nations have pushed back. Nigeria, which wasn’t part of that White House summit, said it has rejected pressure from the US to take deportees who are citizens of other countries.

The US also has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama, but has identified Africa as a continent where it might find more governments willing to strike deportation agreements.

Rwanda’s foreign minister told the AP last month that talks were underway with the US about a potential agreement to host deported migrants. A British government plan announced in 2022 to deport rejected asylum-seekers to Rwanda was ruled illegal by the UK Supreme Court last year.

‘Not a dumping ground’
The eight men deported by the US to war-torn South Sudan, where they arrived early this month, previously spent weeks at a US military base in nearby Djibouti, located on the northeast border of Ethiopia, as the case over the legality of sending them there played out.

The South Sudanese government has not released details of its agreement with the US to take deportees, nor has it said what will happen to the men. A prominent civil society leader there said South Sudan was “not a dumping ground for criminals.”

Analysts say some African nations might be willing to take third-country deportees in return for more favorable terms from the US in negotiations over tariffs, foreign aid and investment, and restrictions on travel visas.


Philippines appeals for help to rescue nationals trapped in scam hubs

Philippines appeals for help to rescue nationals trapped in scam hubs
Updated 16 July 2025
Follow

Philippines appeals for help to rescue nationals trapped in scam hubs

Philippines appeals for help to rescue nationals trapped in scam hubs
  • More than 200 Filipinos were freed from a compound on Myanmar’s Myawaddy in April
  • Government says nationals ‘still trapped inside different scam centers’ in Southeast Asia

MANILA: The Philippines is appealing to foreign governments for help in rescuing its nationals believed to be trapped in scam hubs across mainland Southeast Asia, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

For several years, the cyberscam industry has proliferated in Southeast Asia, especially in border areas of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

More than 220,000 people from all over the world — many trafficked to the region — have been working in scam hubs in Cambodia and Myanmar alone, according to UN Office on Drugs and Crime data.

UNODC’s April 2025 report estimates that they generate about $40 billion annually, from romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, fake investment platforms, online gambling, phishing and impersonation scams.

The presence of Filipinos in these operations came to the spotlight when at least 200 of them were freed in late February and March from a scam center located in an office complex in Myawaddy on Myanmar’s border with Thailand.

It was unclear at the time how many more Philippine nationals remained there, but the Department of Foreign Affairs has been receiving reports of Filipinos “still trapped inside different scam centers” in Southeast Asia.

The DFA said it is working closely with its embassies and consulates in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia “to persistently devote efforts and resources in extending all possible assistance to our Filipinos in distress, while requesting the authorities of the host countries for their invaluable cooperation.”

The DFA called on overseas-based nationals to help prevent the recruitment of Filipinos into such operations, and urged relatives of victims “to provide verified information on their kin that they believe may be trapped in scam hubs in the vicinity of the Myanmar-Thai border.”

The rescue of Philippine nationals in April helped to shed light on new patterns of their recruitment by scam syndicates.

An investigation by the Philippine Interagency Council Against Trafficking showed that many of them came from the Philippines’ middle class and were often educated individuals — not necessarily unemployed — seeking better opportunities abroad.

The offers usually came through unofficial channels such as social media, advertising roles in call centers, marketing, customer service or chat support — often based in Thailand.

But once they reached Thailand, instead of the jobs they were promised, the victims were transported across the border into the high-security compounds where they were forced to scam people globally.

Their rescue is complicated by the fact that many hubs operate in lawless border zones or semi-autonomous regions controlled by militias, such as Myanmar’s Karen State, limiting diplomatic and law enforcement reach.