Sextortion is a rapidly growing scam targeting teenagers around the world, and it has been linked to over 27 suicides in the US alone. Researchers and law enforcement agencies identify West Africa, especially Nigeria, as a hub for these scams.
Jenn Buta’s son, Jordan, took his own life two years ago after being targeted by scammers on Instagram pretending to be a girl his age who convinced him to send nude photos and then threatened to share them unless he paid, promising to keep the photos private.
Despite Jordan paying as much as he could, the extortionists continued to pressure him, eventually driving him to take his own life within six hours of their first contact.
The scammers were then traced down to Nigeria, where they were arrested and extradited to the US. Two brothers from Lagos, Samuel, and Samson Ogoshi, are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child sexploitation charges.
Jordan’s mother Jenn, now a vocal advocate on TikTok is using the account Jordan created for her to warn others about sextortion.
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Her videos have amassed over a million likes. Sextortion is believed to be under-reported due to its sensitive nature, but US crime figures show a significant increase in cases, with 26,700 incidents reported last year and at least 27 boys taking their own lives in the past two years.
According to Jordan’s mother, his room remains untouched, with his basketball jerseys, clothes, and posters just as he left them. She keeps the door closed to preserve his memory, finding comfort in the familiar scents of his belongings.
Jenn and Jordan’s father, John DeMay on many occasions have shared tips to help young people better learn how to handle sextortion. These are 6 tips you should apply if you ever fall victim.
- Remember, you’re not alone and it’s not your fault.
- Save the messages to help law enforcement.
- Report the predator’s account using the platform’s safety features.
- Block the predator.
- Seek help from a trusted adult or law enforcement before sending money or more images.
- Understand that cooperating with predators usually doesn’t stop the blackmail, but law enforcement can help.
Also in April, two Nigerian men were arrested after an Australian schoolboy’s suicide. Trials are ongoing in Lagos for other cases linked to teen suicides in the US and Canada.
Cybercrime, including sextortion, has become normalized among Nigeria’s youth, partly due to high unemployment and poverty. The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) reported that Nigerian TikTok, YouTube, and Scribd accounts are sharing sextortion tips and scripts.
Dr. Tombari Sibe from Digital Footprints Nigeria explains that young people see cyber-fraud as a common way to make money, often overlooking the consequences.
Uche Ifeanyi Henry, director of Nigeria’s National Cyber Crime Centre (NCCC), also stated that his force is making significant efforts to combat the issue, citing numerous arrests and prosecutions.
According to Henry, sextortion is a global problem and is not confined to Nigeria alone and it would require international cooperation to effectively address these issues.
However, Devatop, an African human rights charity, and NCRI think otherwise, they’ve criticized Nigeria’s way of handling sextortion — meaning, Nigeria is not doing enough to tackle the problem and other related cyber crimes and activities going on in the country.
This week Henry’s team is visiting the UK’s National Crime Agency to enhance collaboration on sextortion and other cyber-crimes, following similar meetings with Japanese police.