VIDEO: I’m a street girl, Bimbo Ademoye defies thugs’ threat on film set
Bimbo Ademoye. Photo: Bimbo Ademoye / IG
Nollywood actress Bimbo Ademoye has confronted a group of area boys who stormed her outdoor film shoot at a location that could not be independently verified, demanding money from the production crew.
A video of the incident went viral on X after it was shared by user #Usmanashafe on Thursday, drawing widespread reaction and reigniting concerns about thug extortion on Nigerian film sets.
In the clip, Ademoye stood her ground against the men, who are seen making aggressive demands for a “settlement”, a common extortion tactic used against movie crews shooting in public or community spaces across Lagos.
The actress, speaking in a mix of English and Nigerian Pidgin, told the men she had no problem rewarding those around her set but would not yield to ultimatums.
“I am a street girl, let me tell you. Ask around, when it comes to matters of the street, I like settling boys. But you don’t come to me and tell me to give you a certain amount,” she said.
When one of the men retorted that he had not come to beg, Ademoye was blunt in her response.
“Yes, you came to beg. You are even being proud of it,” she said.
The confrontation sharpened when one of the boys threatened to switch off her camera. Ademoye fired back: “Camera that nobody in your generation has.”
The men, numbering between three and five, did not physically escalate the situation on camera, but their presence and demands visibly disrupted the active shoot. No weapons were seen in the video.
The incident drew sympathy and praise online, with many viewers commending Ademoye’s composure and refusal to be intimidated.
#Usmanashafe, who shared the video, noted that the recurring threat of such disruptions had pushed many Nollywood producers away from outdoor locations.
“That’s why a lot of producers these days prefer to make their movie production an indoor set. No producer wants to put the lives of their cast and crew in the danger of these thugs,” the user wrote.
The practice of extorting film crews on location shoots is a well-documented problem in Lagos, with producers often forced to pay or risk having their equipment destroyed and shoots shut down.
It has contributed to a visible shift in recent Nollywood productions toward gated estate locations, which critics say has narrowed the visual range of Nigerian films.
Ademoye has previously spoken about similar experiences during outdoor productions.
