Afrobeats star uses global spotlight to demand urgent action as victims remain in captivity, honours both the missing and the dead.

Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, transformed his appearance at the FIFA World Cup countdown concert into a powerful call for justice, drawing global attention to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

The singer took to the stage on Wednesday in a striking custom outfit designed to honour pupils and teachers recently abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. His black leather jacket was adorned with green circular badges, each bearing the name of a victim.

In a poignant detail, names of those still in captivity were inscribed in white, while those who lost their lives were marked in red—visually underscoring the human toll of the incident. The back of the jacket carried the bold message: “BRING THEM HOME,” while a white T-shirt underneath simply read “NIGERIA.”

A backstage video of the outfit quickly went viral, amplifying the message far beyond the concert venue.

Moments before stepping on stage, Davido expressed sorrow over the situation and called on authorities to act swiftly.

“Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and those who have been killed,” he said. “They still haven’t been rescued. We’re praying every day, and we’re also urging the government to hasten its response. My country is going through a lot.”

The performance marked a major moment in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Davido is featured as one of the headline acts. His participation, alongside Nigerian music heavyweights Burna Boy, Rema, and Ayra Starr on the official World Cup soundtrack, further cements his role as a global ambassador for African music.

But beyond the music, his message was clear: the world must not ignore the plight of those still held captive.