The Senate on Thursday urged security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement actions against bandits and terrorists who openly display their activities and financial proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
Naijaonpoint reports the resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, on the increasing wave of bandit attacks and terrorist activities in Kogi West and other parts of the country.
Lawmakers expressed concern over what they described as the growing audacity of criminal groups operating openly on digital platforms.
During the debate, the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, introduced an additional prayer calling on the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCC) and other security agencies to track, monitor and arrest individuals using social media to publicise criminal operations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said criminal groups were increasingly using online platforms to showcase their influence, display wealth and distribute money believed to have been obtained through criminal activities.
“Bandits and terrorists who carry out these activities live on their social media handles. Two days ago, bandits conducted a giveaway, distributing over ₦100m within the space of 30 minutes through their social media handles, especially TikTok,” she said.
The lawmaker questioned why the online activities of such groups had not resulted in arrests.
“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 added.
The prayer was seconded by Senator Osita Ngwu and received broad support from lawmakers.
Responding to the concerns, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the activities of the suspected criminals as a direct challenge to government authority.
“The Department of State Services should be able to track their movements and arrest them because this is a show of impunity, as if there is no law at all,” Akpabio said.
He warned that the circulation of videos showing cash displays and criminal activities on social media was undermining public confidence in the country’s security institutions.
“I do not see why we should not have control over the social media space. That idea of showing themselves, showing the cash collected and displaying it is a way of challenging the government,” he added.
The Senate President urged intelligence and security agencies to treat the issue as an urgent national security concern.
He called for improved coordination among security agencies and better utilisation of intelligence gathered from online platforms.
“I want the security agencies and heads of security services to see this as a major challenge. Whenever anybody finds such content, bring it to the attention of the Senate, and we shall invite the relevant federal authorities to explain why those people have not been apprehended,” he said.
Akpabio also stressed the need for transparency after arrests are made.
“If they are apprehended, they should also report back so that Nigerians can know that those who openly show their faces while committing crimes are being arrested and prosecuted,” he stated.
