‘Dance of Shame’: Nigerians turn to forced dancing over mob justice against theft suspects

A social media trend dubbed “Dance of Shame” or “Criminals Got Talent” is spreading across Nigeria, where suspected thieves are made to dance publicly instead of facing immediate physical assault, according to a report. According to Vanguard, Videos circulating on Instagram and TikTok show suspects accused of stealing items ranging from farm produce to livestock performing dance moves before crowds.

While some view it as a safer alternative to mob violence, human-rights concerns persist over publicly humiliating unconvicted individuals. Lagos Police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi condemned the practice, urging the public to hand suspects to police instead.