Copycat crime may soon hit Nigeria, expert warns

A crime expert has warned that emotionally disturbed persons watching zombie flicks, popularly known as “Anini” or “Derico” may be encouraged to try their hands in crime.
The crime expert, Mr. Martins Godspower, said that such violent movies had the possibility of heightening the propensity of persons addicted to them to commit crime.
Speaking with our correspondent, Godspower, who is also a forensic psychologist, said watching violent movies or TV shows could tell on people’s emotion, thinking and rationalisation.
“The real danger has to do with those who copy the violence and act it out in real life. This could have overbearing effect on those who have preexisting psychological disorders,” he said.
Godspower said that he had listened to many criminals confess, especially in cases bearing on homicide.
“I have read about a murderer who did sadistic things to his victims, saying that, he merely practised what he learnt after watching movies such as “Scene of Crime Investigations” or “Criminal Minds” and movies like the “Zombie.
“The youth of nowadays are very curious. They are always eager to learn, especially now that smartphones are everywhere. On a bus, you see our youths, most especially, the teenagers, watching movies.They could be tempted to put to practice most of those things they watch.
“Parents have to watch and monitor the activities of their children at all times, most especially now that violent crimes are taking centre stage in big cities, “ he said.
The forensic psychologist added that “copycat crime” had become the crime usually committed by people already suffering from some mental illness.
Godspower, who is a member of the Governing Council, Institute of Criminology and Penology, Nigeria, said, “Mark you that it is not everybody who watches violent movies would turn around to behave violently. However, experience shows that when an individual, of any age, watches too much violence, they can become agitated and irrationally aggressive, with inner impulses; but not everyone gets to The Point of committing a crime like a murder in a copycat manner. It largely takes a sick head to do it.
“It takes persons with psychological disorders who have difficulty in determining the difference between right and wrong, good or bad, reality and fantasy, to do the extreme. They may also have delusion or hallucination.”
Also speaking with our correspondent on the issue, Dr. Adebayo Francis Komolafe of the Department of Guidance and Counselling, University of Ibadan, said, “Watching movies like zombie or any of this our home videos nowadays, most especially, a film like Anini, or Oyenusi, may be the trigger to press to commit a crime.
“It could in a way, heighten the impact of committing a particular crime, especially if the person is already emotionally disturbed. It is very much easier for any emotionally disturbed person to commit an unimaginable crime in his capacity as a sick fellow”, he said.