The Senate on Thursday directed security agencies to intensify efforts to track and arrest bandits and terrorists who openly display their activities and proceeds of crime on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Sunday Karimi on the worsening security situation in Kogi West Senatorial District and other parts of the country.
During the debate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan raised concerns over the growing trend of criminal groups using social media to showcase their operations, display large sums of money and promote their influence online.
She urged the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other security agencies to step up surveillance and take decisive action against individuals using digital platforms to publicise criminal activities.
According to the lawmaker, some armed groups now operate openly on social media, where they allegedly display wealth believed to have been acquired through criminal acts.
Akpoti-Uduaghan cited a recent incident in which suspected bandits reportedly distributed more than ₦100 million through a social media giveaway, questioning why security agencies had yet to apprehend those involved despite their visible online presence.
She called on law enforcement authorities to leverage available technology and intelligence tools to identify, track and prosecute the suspects.
The proposal received support from lawmakers, including Senator Osita Ngwu, reflecting growing concern within the National Assembly over the use of social media by criminal networks.
Responding to the development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the public display of criminal proceeds online as a disturbing act of impunity and a direct challenge to the authority of the state.
He said security and intelligence agencies, including the Department of State Services, should be able to trace and apprehend individuals who openly advertise their activities online.
Akpabio warned that the circulation of videos showing criminal acts and large cash displays could undermine public confidence in the nation’s security architecture if left unchecked.
The Senate President further called on security agencies to treat the issue as a matter of urgent national importance, stressing the need for improved intelligence gathering and swift action against offenders.
He also urged relevant authorities to keep Nigerians informed whenever arrests are made and prosecutions initiated, noting that visible enforcement would reassure citizens that criminals operating openly on social media are being brought to justice.
The Senate’s resolution comes amid increasing concerns over insecurity in several parts of the country and the growing use of digital platforms by criminal elements to project influence, recruit followers and publicise illicit activities.
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