Abubakar Siddiq Ibn Usman
The Senate on Thursday directed security agencies to intensify efforts toward tracking and arresting bandits and terrorists using social media platforms, particularly TikTok, to display proceeds of crime and publicise their activities.
The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, over increasing cases of banditry and terrorist attacks in Kogi West and several other parts of the country.
During the debate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central called for immediate intervention by the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other security agencies to monitor and apprehend criminal elements operating openly on social media.
According to her, armed groups have become emboldened to the point of openly showcasing wealth allegedly obtained from criminal activities while using online platforms to gain attention and influence.
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed that some bandits recently organised an online cash giveaway worth over ₦100 million through TikTok within a short period, raising concerns over the ability of security agencies to trace and prosecute such individuals.
She questioned why security operatives, especially cybercrime units, had not been able to identify and arrest suspects despite their visible online presence.
The senator urged the police and relevant intelligence agencies to strengthen digital surveillance and ensure those promoting criminal activities online are brought to justice.
Her proposal received support from Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West and was subsequently adopted by lawmakers across party lines.
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Reacting to the development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the actions of the suspects as a blatant challenge to government authority and evidence of growing impunity among criminal groups.
Akpabio said security agencies, including the Department of State Services, should have the capacity to trace and arrest individuals openly displaying criminal proceeds on social media.
He warned that videos showing armed groups flaunting cash and publicising their activities online were capable of undermining public confidence in the nation’s security institutions.
The Senate President further urged security chiefs to treat the matter as a serious national security concern and improve coordination in responding to digital intelligence.
He also called for transparency from security agencies, insisting that Nigerians should be informed whenever arrests and prosecutions are carried out against suspects involved in such activities.
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