Nigeria has witnessed a significant surge in TikTok users, particularly among the youth, in recent years.
From lighthearted remakes of viral dance videos, Nigerians on TikTok have begun to use the platform for activism and as a way to hold power to account.
In May 2023, Rukayya Aliyu Jibia, a broadcast journalist based in Katsina State, was arrested by the police and unfortunately suffered injuries during the process after posting a TikTok video.
Ms. Jibia’s troubles began when she recorded a TikTok video urging the Katsina state police to reconsider parading suspects with their faces exposed, emphasizing that they were still presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The journalist argued that such actions violated their rights and could have long-lasting effects even if the court acquitted them. potentially hindering their chances of finding suitable husbands due to societal stigma.
Through her TikTok account named ‘Girls Angle,’ she released the first three series on May 21, and the final and fourth series on May 22, an act which drew the attention of the police in Katsina state.
The Katsina based journalist said she was invited to the state Emir’s palace by the PPRO of the Katsina State Command, Gambo Isah after posting the video.
En route, Isah and his team intercepted her and forcibly removed her from her car, injuring her and damaging her phone. “I sustained injuries, and they dragged me to the Emir’s palace where the PPRO said I was sabotaging their work,” she says.
“The Emir asked the police to remand me but when we arrived at the court, we found that the Khadi had already closed for the day, resulting in my detention by the police. Fortunately, my lawyer managed to secure my bail,” she recounts.
The following day, Ms.Jibia returned to give a statement about the earlier incident. She was asked to return on the 25th of May.
Around 11 o’clock in the morning, she arrived, anticipating going to court, but the area commander informed her that she would be taken to the police headquarters instead.
With her lawyer unavailable, she felt a deep sense of apprehension about the possibility of facing assault once more. She made a desperate decision to flee, seeking safety from the looming danger.
Police speaks
But the police responded to Ms. Jibia’s claims, asserting that her life was not in danger and that she had been granted bail but decided to evade police investigation. The PPRO believed she was seeking what he described as “cheap popularity on TikTok.”
“She was released on bail but decided to jump bail and escaped police investigation. She then decided to take to her usual place, TikTok where she has been scouting for sympathizers, alleging that her life is under threat. Nobody is looking for Ruqayya to arrest because she was released on bail to a reliable surety and in the presence of her attorney.”
According to him, this was not the first time Ruqayya had recorded a video involving the police.
“Ruqayya (Jibia) has been using her social media handles to maliciously attack the Nigeria Police Force. You may recall that sometime in 2022, the KTS Police command succeeded in busting a notorious syndicate of armed robbers, leading to the arrest of their kingpin, one ABBA KALA and his team and recovery of over 13 stolen motor vehicles,’ the PPRO says.
“Her TikTok and attacked the police that Abba Kala was so innocent that the police lied. The command out of maturity refused to join any issue with her on that matter because of her naivety. But recently the KTS metro was faced with incessant attacks by Kauraye, phone snatchers and other crimes. The command swung into action raided criminal hideouts, including brothels, which led to the arrest of 72 suspected persons. 4 young women suspected to be sex workers were among those arrested and paraded before the Press.”
“Ruqayya did not appreciate the efforts of the NPF in nipping in the bud, the crimes disturbing the community but took to her usual TikTok and continued to rant on the police for arresting and parading the women.”
More stories
In recent times, the popular social media platform TikTok has become both a source of entertainment and a source of trouble for young Nigerians, especially in the northern region.
Kano has witnessed a notable clash between Tiktokers and authorities, with the main accusations being character assassination and image tarnishing, as stated by the police.
Not all victims, like Ms. Jibia, were fortunate enough to escape court conviction and imprisonment. Mubarak Uniquepikin, another Tiktok user and skit maker based in Nigeria’s commercial city of Kano, faced a similar fate.
Uniquepikin, a graduate of Information and Media Studies from Bayero University Kano, ended up in prison and was later sentenced to 20 strokes of cane (public flogging) and sweeping the court premises. His co-host, Nazifi Muhammad, known as Na’ibi in their skit videos, also faced the same fate.
Unlike Ms. Jibia, they were arrested and charged before a Kano magistrate court for defaming the image of the former governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. In their comedy skit, they portrayed the ex-governor as a politician involved in the sale of public plots of land.
“The video was intended as a comedy to pass our message while drawing the government’s attention to what people perceive as wrong. But it was misunderstood. The court’s sentence hasn’t significantly impacted my life, except that I don’t believe our conviction was just,” he said.
“The video was intended as a comedy to pass our message while drawing the government’s attention to what people perceive as wrong. But it was misunderstood.”
“The court’s sentence hasn’t significantly impacted my life, except that I don’t believe our conviction was just. Our relatives and fans were not happy. We hope and pray to God that such incidents won’t happen again.
“Surprisingly, it has brought more good to me, and I see it as a form of success,” Uniquepikin says.
Another prominent TikTok personality from Kano, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, who has a substantial following, was also arrested by the police for a similar offence – defamation of character, vulgarity, public nuisance and breach of public peace– along with three others and subsequently sentenced by a court of law.
She was sentenced to three weeks sweeping of Murtala Mohammed Hospital by the Upper Shari’ah Court.
What the law says
In 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown, Nigeria witnessed a significant surge in TikTok users. The social media platform gained a 31.9 per cent market share of all social media platforms. As of 2022, this number had grown to 57.4 per cent.
This is coming after some countries around the world have banned TikTok.
In the past few years, Nigerian lawmakers have tried to regulate social media. In 2016, the Frivolous Petitions (Prohibition) Bill 2015, best known as the Social Media Bill, was introduced during the 8th National Assembly.
On 5th November, 2019, lawmakers introduced the Hate Speech Prohibition bill 2019 on the House of Representatives floor.
In the Senate, the bill was referred to as the National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches (Est. etc.) Bill, 2019, and carried a life imprisonment jail term.
These bills have often received pushback from the public. Social media has become the place that delivers a form of justice for many who don’t trust the traditional legal institutions.
Barr. Abba Hikima, a Kano-based Legal practitioner and public analyst has called on democratic leaders to allow every citizen to express his opinion without fear of victimization.
“I do not support insulting/defaming leaders but leaders should be patient with their citizens whenever they exercise their freedom of speech.”
Hikima believed this will help in holding every democratic government to account.
“Anyone who insults people or breaks the law should be punished. But let him be punished according to his crime. Two wrongs don’t make a right. This is our position.”
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