By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
The Senate on Thursday directed security agencies to immediately intensify surveillance and enforcement actions against bandits and terrorists who openly display their criminal activities and proceeds on social media platforms, especially TikTok.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), who drew the attention of the upper chamber to the escalating wave of bandit attacks and terrorist incursions in Kogi West and other parts of the country.
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During the debate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) introduced an additional prayer, calling for urgent intervention by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant agencies to monitor, track, and arrest individuals using social media to publicise criminal operations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed deep concern that armed groups were no longer operating in secrecy but were boldly leveraging digital platforms to showcase influence, flaunt ill-gotten wealth, and even organise public “giveaways” allegedly funded by 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.
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The senator questioned why such open digital footprints had not led to arrests, urging the cybercrime unit to act decisively.
“I wonder why the Cybercrime Unit and the Police Force generally cannot track these activities and apprehend them since they are on social media,” she added.
The additional prayer was seconded by Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West) and received unanimous support from senators across party lines.
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Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the actions of the suspects as a direct affront to state authority and a troubling display of impunity.
“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 a deliberate attempt to ridicule government 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.
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Akpabio urged intelligence and security agencies to treat the matter as a national security priority and called for improved coordination and real-time response to online intelligence.
The Senate President also demanded accountability, stating that once arrests are made, the public should be promptly informed.
“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 said.
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The resolution reflects growing legislative frustration over the intersection of insecurity and unchecked digital exposure by criminal elements.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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