Jihadist groups in northeastern Nigeria are increasingly turning to TikTok to promote their campaigns and recruit fighters, leveraging the platform’s popularity among young people.
According to reports reviewed by AFP, over 100 people were killed in jihadist attacks in April alone. Borno State Governor warned that the state—long the epicenter of Nigeria’s insurgency crisis—is steadily losing ground to these armed groups.
During the same period, TikTok videos emerged showing individuals wielding rifles, grenades, and large amounts of cash. Some accounts went live in joint streams with users preaching anti-Western ideologies—reminiscent of propaganda released by Boko Haram’s late leader, Abubakar Shekau, during the insurgency’s early days.
Though criminal gangs in northwestern Nigeria have used TikTok before, experts note a dangerous shift. “It started with bandits,” said Bulama Bukarti, VP at the Texas-based Bridgeway Foundation. “Now Boko Haram members host live TikTok shows—spreading propaganda, justifying violence, and threatening critics.”
Bukarti revealed that he himself was threatened in a now-deleted TikTok video.
Despite TikTok’s efforts to remove extremist content, the platform’s live-streaming feature poses ongoing challenges. A TikTok spokesperson acknowledged the difficulty in quantifying how many terrorist-linked accounts have been taken down, though some remain active as of AFP’s review.
“Terrorist groups and their content have no place on TikTok,” the spokesperson said. “We take a firm stance against violent extremism both on and off our platform.”
Propaganda, Cash, and Calls to Violence
AFP reviewed 19 accounts featuring men dressed as clerics—some with uncovered faces—who called for violence and displayed weapons. Other content included videos of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf and extremist preacher Isah Garo Assalafy, who was banned in Niger State for inciting violence.
These accounts often go live to interact with followers, answer questions, and receive virtual gifts that can be converted to money.
Social Media as a Tool for Recruitment
Nigeria’s jihadist conflict, including factions loyal to Islamic State, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around 2 million since 2009.
Former fighter Saddiku Muhammad told AFP that armed groups shifted to TikTok as authorities cracked down on encrypted platforms like Telegram. “Jihadists realized they need to communicate in ways young people understand—ditching long, ideological sermons for engaging, relatable content,” he said. “And it’s working—they’re reaching new recruits.”
A Bold Strategy
Security analysts view this social media push as a bold challenge to the government. Malik Samuel, of the think tank Good Governance Africa, said Boko Haram often uses its younger members to spread messages.
“Showing their faces is strategic,” Samuel said. “It sends a message that they’re not afraid—and that real people are behind these messages.”
While Islamic State West Africa Province maintains a more polished communication style, Boko Haram’s TikTok approach appears grassroots and direct.
TikTok, for its part, said it is collaborating with UN-backed Tech Against Terrorism to improve detection and removal of extremist content.
“Our guidelines prohibit violent and hateful groups,” the company stated. “We will continue to remove any content that violates these policies.”
