(Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Photo Credit: Arise News)
The Senate on Thursday called on security agencies to urgently intensify surveillance and enforcement actions against b@ndits and terrorists who openly showcase their criminal activities and financial proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, amid growing concerns over the brazenness of criminal networks operating online.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, on the rising wave of b@ndit att@cks and terrorist incursions in Kogi West and other parts of the country, as lawmakers again confronted the widening security crisis across multiple regions.
During deliberations, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, introduced an additional prayer calling for coordinated action by the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant security agencies to track, monitor and arrest individuals who use social media platforms to publicise criminal operations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed alarm that armed groups were no longer operating covertly but were instead leveraging digital platforms to project influence, flaunt ill-gotten wealth and, in some cases, conduct public “giveaways” believed to be funded through criminal activity.
She said, “B@ndits and terrorists who carry out these activities live on their social media handles. Two days ago, b@ndits conducted a giveaway, distributing over ₦100 million within the space of 30 minutes through their social media handles, especially TikTok.”
The senator questioned why such overt digital footprints had not translated into arrests by relevant security agencies, particularly units mandated to track cyber-enabled crimes.
“I wonder why the Cybercrime Unit and the Police Force generally cannot track these activities and apprehend them since they are on social media.
Therefore, I urge the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre to track and arrest these individuals,” she stated.
