World · Africa · 9 hrs ago
Filmmakers and journalists face extortion while working in Lagos
Documentary sound recordist Nurudeen Sanni says a crew was attacked while filming in Ajah, Lagos, after men demanded 100,000 naira to let them continue.
The crew fled, and one member was stabbed in the neck and seriously injured.
Filmmakers, content creators and journalists say men known as agberos demand money from people filming in public and threaten those who refuse.
Music video director TG Omori and creator KieKie have also described disrupted shoots or large payments to men and security.
Filmmakers can be especially vulnerable because leaving a location can cost time and money, giving those demanding payment leverage.
Journalists say threats can stop coverage and leave some communities and events underreported.
A documentary crew in Lagos was attacked after men demanded payment to let them continue filming, leaving one crew member seriously injured.
Filmmakers, photographers, content creators and journalists say they face extortion and threats while working in public spaces across the city.
The men, locally known as agberos, have been accused of demanding money from people filming and threatening those who refuse to pay.
Journalists say the threats can stop coverage and leave some communities and incidents underreported.
Analysts say filmmakers are vulnerable because leaving a location can cost time and money.
- Who
- Filmmakers, content creators, photographers and journalists working in Lagos say they face extortion. Men locally known as agberos have been accused of demanding payment.
- What
- A documentary crew was attacked after men demanded 100,000 naira to let them continue filming; one crew member was seriously injured.
- When
- The crew was attacked half an hour after filming began. The date is not stated.
- Where
- Ajah, Lagos, Nigeria.
- Why
- The men demanded money before the crew could continue filming. The sources do not state their reason.
Men locally known as agberos
Filmmakers and journalists
Access to filming locations
Men locally known as agberos
Men have been accused of demanding money before filming can continue.
Filmmakers and journalists
Filmmakers say the demands impose costs and can prevent them from completing work.
Response to refusal
Men locally known as agberos
Men have been accused of threatening people who refuse to pay.
Filmmakers and journalists
Journalists say they have faced threats to seize or damage their cameras.
Karina Adobaba-Harry said men demanded money from her crew while they covered the demolition of Makoko.
Music video director TG Omori said a night shoot in Ikoyi was disrupted by a crowd demanding money.
Men surrounded Nurudeen Sanni’s crew in Ajah and demanded 100,000 naira before they could continue shooting.
- Crew payment demand
- 100,000 naira (about $75)
- Location of documentary shoot
- Ajah, Lagos
- Crew member’s injury
- Stabbed in the neck and seriously injured
- KieKie’s payment in Obalende
- Approximately 700,000 naira (about $525)
- KieKie’s security cost near Kara
- Close to 500,000 naira (about $375)
What people are saying
The painful part was that we saw a member of our crew being beaten and we could not do anything
Because filmmakers often need to shoot in specific locations, those demanding money know that there is a cost to abandoning a location and starting again, which gives them leverage to extract cash
That was funny to me because we are here to tell your story, you want the government to hear your voice … and you want us to still pay you. That sounded ridiculous to me
war on camera