Outrage as northern youths engage in disturbing TikTok trends

A wave of public outrage is spreading across Northern Nigeria as shocking TikTok videos of young people engaging in degrading, indecent, and sometimes dangerous acts continue to flood the internet, all in a desperate attempt to trend and gain followers.

The videos, which have gone viral across other social media platforms, depict scenes of youths drinking from gutters, swimming in dirty drainages, pouring ashes or waste on their bodies, and dancing in suggestive or outright nude ways.

Others block public roads to stage bizarre scenes, such as pretending to bathe or lying motionless in the middle of the road, often causing serious traffic obstructions and even accidents.

Just on Wednesday, Kano Hisbah Board arrested a 24-year-old man after a viral TikTok video showed him allegedly licking a goat’s genitals in an attempt to gain online fame.

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The disturbing footage sparked public outrage, prompting a community leader to report the incident.

Although the suspect claimed he only placed his mouth around the area, Hisbah officials described the act as a gross violation of religious and moral values and said both the man and the goat would undergo medical examinations before prosecution.

A lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Kano State Polytechnic, Malam Aisar Fagge, condemned the trend in strong terms.

Fagge stated that, “It’s disheartening to see our youths behaving this way. Some of them block roads, create hold-ups, and lay down on highways just to shoot a video.

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“These kinds of content creators should be punished with lashes — yes, with a cane — to deter others,” he stated.

A TikToker, Munira Muhammad Tambaya, also expressed concern, saying, “The trend of producing useless and disgusting videos just for fame is devastating.

“I am on TikTok too, but I’m not on there to chase clout or disgrace myself. Some of these videos are not just embarrassing, they’re psychologically disturbing,” she said.

A public commentator, Abubakar Usman, criticised government officials and wealthy individuals who, instead of condemning such behaviour, reward it with incentives.

He stated that, “You see them giving Umrah (Lesser Hajj) tickets to people who engage in shameful and degrading behaviour. They think it’s kindness, but it only motivates others to go wild.

“These people don’t need rewards — they need psychological evaluation. Some of them should be in rehabilitation centres or psychiatric hospitals, not on planes to Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Usman added that the normalisation of such acts is fast becoming a societal disease, urging religious leaders, parents, and the media to step up in restoring values.

According to him, “We are gradually losing our moral compass. What will the younger generation grow up to admire — filth and foolishness?”

Another social commentator, Ishaq Ibrahim, echoed similar concerns and cited examples of how mentally unstable individuals are being exploited for social media content.

“Look at Umar Bush, known for his abusive language, and A.A Rufa’i Bilgate — both reportedly battling mental health challenges. Instead of offering help, people take them out to restaurants, buy them food, and record them for comic content.

“They laugh, film them making strange statements, and share it online for views. It’s exploitation, not entertainment,” he said.

He added, “This isn’t comedy. It’s cruelty dressed as fun. As a society, we should be ashamed of turning the pain or instability of others into digital amusement.”

As the trend continues to grow, calls for urgent action are rising. Many advocate digital literacy campaigns, community education, and social media regulations to help guide young people away from destructive behavior in their pursuit of online fame.

Parents, schools, religious institutions, and policymakers are urged to collaborate in addressing what many now describe as a moral crisis spreading across the region.