The Senate has urged Nigeria’s security agencies to intensify surveillance and take immediate enforcement action against bandits and terrorist groups who openly display their activities and proceeds of crime on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), who raised concerns over escalating bandit attacks and terrorist incursions in parts of Kogi State and other regions of the country.
During deliberations, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) introduced an additional prayer calling for coordinated action by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant agencies to track and apprehend individuals using social media to showcase criminal operations.
She expressed concern that armed groups are increasingly leveraging digital platforms to flaunt ill-gotten wealth, build influence, and in some cases conduct online “giveaways” allegedly funded through criminal activity.
According to her, some of these groups have openly distributed large sums of money online, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing cybercrime monitoring mechanisms.
Other senators supported the motion, including Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), reflecting growing bipartisan concern over the use of digital platforms by criminal networks.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the development as a serious challenge to national security and an affront to state authority, urging security agencies to respond more decisively.
He called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and other intelligence agencies to intensify efforts to track such individuals and ensure their swift arrest and prosecution.
Akpabio also warned that the open display of criminal activity online undermines public confidence in law enforcement institutions and represents a direct challenge to government authority.
He further stressed the need for improved coordination among security agencies and real-time monitoring of online intelligence to curb the trend.
Lawmakers also urged security agencies to provide updates to the National Assembly on arrests and prosecutions related to such cases, to ensure accountability and public confidence in enforcement efforts.
The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to supporting stronger cybersecurity frameworks as part of broader efforts to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
