"It’s Becoming a Pandemic": TG Omori Recounts 3 AM Nightmare with Area Boys Breaking Into His Set
- TG Omori described the disruption of his Ikoyi shoot by over 30 thugs as a "pandemic" affecting Nigeria's creative industry
- The acclaimed music video director had legally secured a private property in Ikoyi, Lagos, yet still faced a chaotic 3 AM confrontation
- TG Omori was forced to abandon his final shots after spending over an hour negotiating with area boys who tried to breach the gates
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TG Omori, one of Nigeria's most celebrated music video directors, has spoken out against what he calls an escalating crisis of street extortion targeting film and video productions across Lagos.
Speaking on the Afropolitan podcast aired on YouTube on September 23, 2026, Omori recounted a deeply frustrating incident during a shoot on a private property in Ikoyi, Lagos, where more than 30 area boys descended on his set in the early hours of the morning, attempting to force their way through the gates.
Source: Instagram
TG Omori said:
"I was shooting in Ikoyi, and it's a private property, and I've paid for the whole location, sorted everybody, paid security, and from nowhere I see thugs springing out," the director said.
TG Omori: When preparation isn't enough
What made the ordeal particularly jarring was that TG Omori's team had done everything right.
According to him, the location had been legally secured, security was in place, and the crew was in the final stretch of a gruelling shoot when chaos erupted.
Instead of focusing on capturing his last shots, TG Omori found himself outside at 3:00 a.m., trying to talk down a rowdy crowd for close to an hour.
"You are stressed, and there are some thugs just screaming, trying to break through the gates and all of that stuff. And now you have to go out there to start to calm down for like one hour," he recalled.
He added that the financial strain was equally pressing.
"Now we're even out of budget because we've paid for private properties... so why do I have to deal with these things?"
TG Omori was clear that he understands and accepts the informal protocol of engaging local leaders before shooting in inner-city neighbourhoods.
When planning a shoot in Mushin, for example, he said he typically invests considerable time beforehand building goodwill with local figures to prevent exactly this kind of disruption.
"If I'm going to shoot in Mushin, I'll go there for like a month before to make sure that I sort out all the people that can make sure that all the thugs are calm," he explained.
Source: Instagram
TG Omori says extortion creeping into high-end locations
The problem, as TG Omori sees it, is that this behaviour has now migrated into controlled, high-end environments where it has no place.
Although military and police personnel were present on the Ikoyi set, he said he chose not to escalate to physical force, recognising that any violent confrontation could seriously damage his professional reputation.
The result was lost time, lost shots, and a production that went over budget with nothing to show for the final hours.
TG Omori ended his account with a direct appeal:
"It's a pandemic, and I think we need to stop these things 'cause it's bad."
Watch TG Omori recount his 3 am ordeal with area boys breaking into his private set in the YouTube video below:
Yomi Olorunlaiye recounts machete attack on movie set
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nollywood actor Yomi Olorunlaiye recalled being attacked by hoodlums wielding machetes while filming in Ikire, Osun state, alongside Yomi Fash-Lanso and Kunle Afod.
The actor said the violent clash left cast and crew members injured and resulted in a legal battle that lasted nearly three months.
Olorunlaiye also recounted a separate incident in Ikorodu, Lagos, where a cult-themed shoot sparked tension after the actors’ outfits and filming date coincided with a real confraternity’s celebration.
Source: Legit.ng
