Fashion Influencer Kika Osunde Escapes Paris Kidnap Attempt in Rising Trend of Attacks on Social Media Stars

The glamour of social media collided with the darkness of crime on September 4, 2025, when Nigerian fashion influencer Kika Osunde narrowly escaped an attempted abduction in Paris.

The attack, carried out by suspects disguised as deliverymen in Montparnasse, has thrown a fresh spotlight on the growing dangers faced by high-profile figures whose lifestyles are played out online for millions to see.

French police confirmed that the Brigade de Recherche et d'Intervention (BRI) — the elite unit renowned for counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations — foiled the plot before it reached a deadly conclusion. The BRI’s precision and tactical expertise, recently showcased at Eurosatory 2024, once again proved decisive in preventing what could have been a devastating incident.

For Osunde, who built her fashion empire through Instagram, brand collaborations, and a vibrant online following, the attack is a chilling reminder that visibility comes with risk. A 2023 study in the Journal of Cybersecurity revealed that targeted abductions linked to social media exposure had risen by 40% worldwide, with criminals increasingly using influencers’ digital footprints to track movements, wealth, and vulnerabilities.

This latest case mirrors a disturbing pattern. In May 2023, the daughter of a cryptocurrency magnate narrowly survived a similar kidnapping attempt in Paris, reported by the BBC. Like Osunde, she had been trailed through social media updates, turning online glamour into offline danger. Criminals are no longer simply opportunistic; they are methodical, patient, and increasingly brazen, emboldened by the wealth and visibility that influencers showcase.

For Paris, a city that has long drawn the wealthy and famous, this incident raises questions about safety in an age where personal security is often undermined by public display. For Nigeria, it sends a deeper warning — that its rising generation of digital stars, who carry their nation’s culture and creativity into global spaces, may also be carrying invisible targets on their backs.

The attempted abduction of Kika Osunde is not just another crime story. It is a collision of digital culture and physical reality, where likes, shares, and lifestyle posts become breadcrumbs for predators. The BRI’s intervention may have spared one life, but the trend it represents suggests a dangerous new era — one where being an influencer comes with a cost measured not in clicks, but in survival.