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Nigeria’s president orders manhunt after kidnappers upload video showing hostages
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

International/The Apex Times/Aug 25, 4:06 PM EDT

Nigeria’s president orders manhunt after kidnappers upload video showing hostages

Nigeria’s president directed security forces to pursue kidnapping suspects after footage appeared online showing dozens of people, including women and children, seated in a forest, according to a report by BBC World.

2 min readEditor-approved Apex article

Nigeria’s president has ordered a manhunt for kidnappers after the group uploaded a video online depicting hostages, BBC World reported on Aug. 25, 2026.

The footage, as described in the report, shows dozens of people, including men, women and children, seated in what appears to be a forest setting. The broadcast said the video was used by the kidnappers to publicize the situation.

According to BBC World, the president’s instruction was aimed at intensifying efforts by security agencies to locate the people in the video and to identify those responsible. The order reflects heightened scrutiny on kidnapping networks that increasingly use social media to pressure families and authorities.

BBC World did not specify in its report the number of hostages precisely, nor did it provide confirmed identities of the victims or captors. The report also did not indicate whether a ransom demand was included in the footage.

Kidnapping has been a persistent security concern in parts of Nigeria, where armed groups have carried out mass abductions and used communications, including online posts, to sustain public attention and negotiation pressure. The use of video in particular increases the likelihood that families may see the clips before receiving any official notification.

The president’s order sets an immediate enforcement timeline in which police, military and intelligence units would be expected to treat the online material as a lead. In such cases, investigators typically attempt to verify the origin and location of the video, trace the individuals shown, and then coordinate arrests to prevent any further movement or harm to hostages.

What happens next will likely depend on whether authorities can quickly authenticate the footage, determine where it was filmed, and identify the armed group behind it. If officials confirm the identities of victims and the location, they would be expected to increase search operations and share updates through established security channels.

BBC World’s report said the action followed the release of the video, which brought renewed urgency to the abduction case and prompted the president to direct a focused response from security forces.

Why It Matters

  • Online hostage videos can escalate public pressure and complicate negotiations, requiring rapid verification and a coordinated security response.
  • The president’s order indicates a shift toward treating social media releases as actionable leads for search and arrest operations.
  • Women and children shown in the footage underline the urgent public safety stakes and the need for timely rescue efforts.
  • If authorities confirm the location and identities, it could accelerate inter-agency coordination and reduce the risk of further movement or harm to hostages.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Nigeria’s president ordered security forces to launch a manhunt after kidnappers uploaded a victim video online.
  • The video described by BBC World shows dozens of people, including women and children, seated in a forest.
  • The report did not provide verified names or exact numbers beyond the description of “dozens” of hostages.
  • BBC World linked the president’s instruction to the public release of the footage and the need to intensify efforts to locate those taken.
  • The next steps depend on authorities authenticating the video, determining its filming location, and identifying the group responsible.