The Nigerian Senate has strongly directed all relevant security and intelligence agencies to immediately intensify surveillance, tracking, and arrest operations against bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements who brazenly flaunt cash, weapons, and proceeds of their illicit activities on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
The directive came during plenary on Thursday following grave concerns raised over the increasing audacity of criminal networks that use digital platforms to glorify violence, taunt the Nigerian state, and openly distribute money suspected to be ransom payments from kidnapping and other heinous crimes.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan drew the attention of the Senate to disturbing viral videos and live sessions where suspected bandits display large sums of money and conduct massive giveaways. In one recent incident, bandits allegedly distributed over ₦100 million within 30 minutes through their TikTok handles.
“These criminals are no longer hiding in the forests. They are coming live on social media to showcase their ill-gotten wealth and even give it away publicly. This is a direct affront to the authority of the Nigerian state and constitutes a national security threat,” the Senator stated.
The Senate urged the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies to leverage all available technological tools to identify, monitor, and apprehend those involved in these activities without delay.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers expressed unanimous support for the resolution, emphasizing that such open displays undermine ongoing efforts to combat insecurity and embolden other criminals.
The upper chamber reaffirmed its commitment to supporting security agencies with the necessary legislative backing and resources to restore peace and security across the country, particularly in affected regions such as Kogi West and the North-West.