TikToker undergoes cleansing after filming Oloolu procession in Ibadan

A female TikTok content creator, Wasilat Olalere, has undergone traditional cleansing rites after recording and sharing footage linked to the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident attracted widespread attention after videos circulated online showing Wasilat participating in traditional rites at the Oloolu compound. Some social media users also circulated unverified claims that she had died following the incident.

However, the TikToker has dismissed the death rumours and maintained that she did not record the sacred Oloolu masquerade.

Speaking during a telephone interview on Lagelu FM’s Ibi Aye N Lo programme, Wasilat said she only filmed people moving through the Oremeji area of Ibadan and did not intentionally capture the revered traditional figure.

“I am not dead. I did not capture the Oloolu masquerade. May I not be implicated; I did not record Oloolu,” she said.

According to her, she was standing in front of her family’s shop when she saw people moving through the area, including a vehicle belonging to the Oyo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun.

She said the Oloolu masquerade did not pass through the route where she was standing and insisted that she only recorded the crowd before uploading the footage to TikTok.

Wasilat said some users later advised her to delete the video. She added that people approached her at the shop the following day over the footage.

The spokesperson to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Adeola Oloko, also clarified that the TikToker did not record the sacred Oloolu masquerade itself.

Oloko said she reportedly captured Alawo Oloolu, a figure associated with the Oloolu tradition, after mistaking it for the main masquerade.

“She did not capture Oloolu; she mistook it for Alawo. We contacted the Mogaji of the Oloolu compound, and he confirmed that a woman who mistook Alawo of Oloolu for the real Oloolu masquerade captured it on the street,” Oloko said.

He added that Wasilat reportedly experienced health challenges after uploading the footage, prompting her family to seek assistance from the traditional custodians.

According to Oloko, the family contacted the Oloolu compound, where the prescribed rites were carried out in accordance with local customs.

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He said the Oloolu tradition is governed by longstanding restrictions and that women are traditionally prohibited from viewing certain aspects of the procession.

However, Oloko said he could not confirm claims that Wasilat disguised herself as a man to secretly record the event.

“I cannot confirm she disguised herself as a man. Those are accounts on social media. But she took the footage or photo on the street,” he said.

The Secretary of the Oloolu compound, Oluwo Ishola Akeem, said the TikToker was taken to the compound after the video she posted generated controversy.

According to him, the footage showed members of the masquerade’s entourage and followers, while the caption on the video identified the scene as the Oloolu procession in the Sokoto area of Ibadan.

Akeem said Wasilat later apologised, deleted the video from her TikTok page and expressed regret over the incident.

He added that the traditional cleansing was carried out in line with customs associated with the Oloolu festival.

Videos from the compound showed Wasilat with her head shaved and dressed in red while taking part in the traditional exercise. Some of the videos also showed traditional worshippers and items said to be connected with the prescribed rites.

The videos generated mixed reactions on social media, with some people defending the exercise as part of a longstanding cultural tradition, while others raised concerns about the content creator’s dignity, safety and consent.

African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, criticised the reported treatment of the TikToker, describing it as an abuse of human dignity.

Sowore argued that cultural practices should be respected but should not be used to justify actions considered oppressive, discriminatory or harmful.

Meanwhile, the Oloolu family defended the traditional exercise, maintaining that the rites were conducted according to the customs of the community.

The incident has renewed public discussion about the relationship between traditional practices, individual rights and the growing influence of social media.

It has also raised questions about how cultural restrictions should be communicated to residents, visitors and digital content creators as smartphones make it easier to record and share events in real time.

The annual Oloolu Festival is celebrated by descendants of the Oloolu lineage and attracts traditional rulers, worshippers, cultural enthusiasts and visitors from different parts of Yorubaland.

The festival features prayers, rituals, drumming, dancing and processions intended to honour ancestors and promote peace, protection, prosperity and community well-being.

Unlike many public masquerade festivals, the Oloolu tradition is governed by strict customs, including restrictions on photographing, filming or viewing certain aspects of the procession.

TikToker undergoes cleansing after filming Oloolu procession in Ibadan

NiDCOM confirms release of Nigerian girls detained in Mauritius

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed the release of Nigerian girls who were reportedly detained at an airport in Mauritius, following public concern and calls for intervention by Nigerian authorities.

NiDCOM said the girls had regained their freedom and were travelling back to Nairobi, Kenya, while efforts were ongoing to address the circumstances surrounding their detention and prevent a recurrence.

The incident gained public attention after a video showing the girls in detention circulated on social media, prompting Nigerians to call on relevant government agencies and diplomatic authorities to intervene.

An Instagram user identified as #Queenbethia shared the video on Sunday and appealed to authorities to take urgent action, alleging that the girls had been held at the Mauritius airport since July 31, 2026.

The post generated widespread reactions, with many social media users expressing concern over the welfare of the girls and demanding clarification on why they were being held.

In a statement issued on Monday through its Digital Media Unit, NiDCOM announced that the girls had been released and were already on their way back to Nairobi.

“The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) wishes to inform the public that the Nigerian girls who were previously detained have been released.

“They are currently on their way back to Nairobi,” the commission stated.

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NiDCOM said its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was engaging the relevant Nigerian diplomatic mission, which had formally taken up the matter with the authorities in Mauritius.

According to the commission, the engagement is intended to establish accountability, clarify the circumstances surrounding the detention and help prevent similar incidents involving Nigerian travellers.

“The Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is actively engaging the relevant Nigerian Embassy, who have formally taken up this matter with the authorities of the country concerned, to ensure full accountability and prevent any recurrence,” the statement added.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare and interests of Nigerians living, working, studying or travelling outside the country.

NiDCOM said the intervention aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places emphasis on the welfare and protection of Nigerians at home and abroad.

“NiDCOM, in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to the welfare and protection of all Nigerians home and abroad,” the commission said.

However, the commission did not disclose the identities or number of the girls, the exact circumstances that led to their detention, or whether the matter was connected to immigration documentation, travel requirements or other airport procedures.

NiDCOM also did not provide details about when the girls were expected to arrive in Nairobi or whether they would later return to Nigeria.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official public statement from the Mauritius government, immigration authorities or airport officials explaining why the Nigerian travellers were held.

The incident has renewed discussions about the experiences of Nigerian travellers at foreign airports and the importance of timely consular support when citizens encounter immigration, travel or other challenges outside the country.

The release of the girls has brought relief to their families, friends and concerned Nigerians who had called for urgent intervention. Further details are expected as Nigerian diplomatic authorities continue engagement with their Mauritian counterparts over the incident.

NiDCOM confirms release of Nigerian girls detained in Mauritius

Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks, Destroys Militant Camp in Cross River

NNS Victory continues sustained pressure on militant elements as troops recover weapons, military gear, and intelligence documents in Bakassi LGA operation

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory has sustained its offensive against militant elements in Cross River State, destroying another suspected camp at the Ine Ikoridung coastal settlement in Bakassi Local Government Area. The raid, conducted on August 2, 2026, followed credible intelligence indicating that militants had relocated to the remote settlement after sustained patrols forced them out of their former base at Dayspring Island. This operation represents the latest phase in a broader campaign by the Nigerian Navy to dismantle militant networks and restore safety to the Calabar waterways and surrounding maritime environment.

According to a statement by the Base Information Officer, Lt. Com. Sulaiman Bala, troops moved into the creeks aboard NNS Victory patrol gunboats. On sighting the approaching vessels, the suspects fled, prompting naval personnel to cordon off the area and conduct thorough searches of the identified huts. The operation yielded significant recoveries, including five empty cartridges, one military camouflage vest, one police camouflage vest, one military pullover, one pair of military jungle boots, and a notebook containing records of suspected militant fighters and the correctional facilities where they are serving prison terms. To deny criminals future safe havens, troops destroyed the identified huts in the settlement.

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Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks

Lt. Com. Bala noted that the relocation of the group to a remote coastal settlement was a direct result of continuous operational pressure from the Nigerian Navy, which is restricting their freedom of action and forcing them to abandon established hideouts. He stated that the relocation of the group to a remote coastal settlement is a result of continuous operational pressure from the Nigerian Navy, which is restricting their freedom of action and forcing them to abandon established hideouts. He added that NNS Victory would continue to sustain maximum pressure on criminal elements until total security is restored to the maritime environment.

This latest operation forms part of a wider offensive targeting not just militant fighters but also the financial and logistical networks that sustain their activities. In a related operation on Dayspring Island in June 2026, naval personnel disrupted a suspected militant financing network operating within the Ini Abasi fishing settlement in Akpabuyo Local Government Area. During that operation, troops recovered several wraps of suspected cannabis sativa and a handwritten ledger containing names and monetary entries amounting to ₦5.529 million. The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Abiodun Folorunsho, explained that preliminary assessments suggested the document was used to record illegal levies imposed on fishermen and maritime transport operators in the area. The proceeds from these extortion activities were believed to serve as a significant source of funding for militant operations and other criminal enterprises within the Dayspring Island axis. By targeting illicit revenue streams, the Nigerian Navy continues to degrade the operational capability of criminal elements and deny them the resources required to sustain their activities.

The Nigerian Navy has maintained a sustained presence in the Calabar waterways, with NNS Victory conducting multiple operations against militancy, piracy, smuggling, and illegal oil bunkering in the region. In May 2026, naval personnel launched a major offensive against militants and kidnappers along the Calabar-Oron channel, destroying a hideout linked to a wanted militant kingpin known as “Juju” on Dayspring Island. That operation, conducted in collaboration with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, forced suspected militants to flee their camps while securing key waterways and restricting their movement. The Navy has also targeted support networks, recently handing over a suspected militant collaborator, Mr Ubong Clement, to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Cross River State. Intelligence linked the suspect to a notorious militant identified as Steven Joseph, alias “Juju,” and revealed that he allegedly acted as a conduit for the disposal of goods stolen from market boats intercepted by militants.

Following operations, naval personnel have consistently engaged community leaders and residents, reassuring them of the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maintaining a sustained security presence and conducting intelligence-driven operations aimed at restoring lasting peace within the waterways. The Navy reaffirmed its resolve to sustain aggressive patrols, targeted raids, and community-focused engagements to eliminate criminal elements, disrupt their support networks, and ensure that legitimate economic activities thrive within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Nigerian Navy Intensifies Offensive Against Criminal Networks, Destroys Militant Camp in Cross River