Many young Nigerians, especially celebrities, film private moments with partners, but when breakups happen those videos get weaponized as exes threaten to leak them and some actually do.
Here are seven Nigerian celebrities whose private photos were leaked online.
Oxlade
Social media platforms were abuzz on February 9, 2022, following the leak of Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, popularly known as Oxlade, on Snapchat.
According to reports, Oxlade had shared the video through a Snapchat streak. It was then recorded by a friend and circulated online, going viral shortly after it appeared on Twitter.
Cross
Ikechukwu Sunday Okonkwo, the former BBNaija housemate known as Cross, was involved in a privacy incident in 2022 when a personal Snapchat video was shared publicly by mistake.
The incident happened shortly after his mother posted a video supporting him and introducing him as an ambassador for her ministry. Cross later addressed the situation publicly and apologized.
Empress Njamah
In November 2022, Nollywood actress Empress Njamah reported a privacy violation involving a private video that was released without her consent by her estranged partner, George Wade.
Njamah stated she was under duress at the time of recording and later alleged other forms of mistreatment. She spoke publicly about the incident and her experience.
Moyo Lawal
In September 2023, Nollywood actress Moyo Lawal addressed a privacy incident after a private video involving her was shared online without consent. She stated that the recording was old and made with a former partner.
Tiwa Savage
During an October 2021 interview, Tiwa Savage, a multi-talented artiste disclosed that she was being blackmailed with a sex tape and that the perpetrator had demanded money.
She declined to pay and stated publicly that she would not be blackmailed. The video was released online not long after her statement.
Salawa Abeni
Veteran entertainer Salawa Abeni refused to be intimidated when a blackmailer named Jason demanded money, threatening to release her private photos.
The self-acclaimed ‘Queen of Waka music’ chose to take back control in April 2020 by releasing the images herself, cutting the blackmailer off and shutting the extortion attempt down for good.
Maryam Booth
Kannywood actress Maryam Booth made headlines in 2020 after a private tape of her was released online. The actress wasted no time in accusing her ex-boyfriend, Ibrahim Ahmad Rufai, popularly known as Deezell.
According to Maryam, her ex is the brain behind the leaked video which saw her naked and trying to dress up. She added that Deezell blackmailed and threatened to release the video at every opportunity he got.