The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigerian security agencies are working with major social media companies to identify and take down accounts used by terrorist and criminal groups to promote their activities and raise funds.
Speaking at an end-of-year briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director-General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka said platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X had been used by terrorists to publicise operations, display looted items and communicate with supporters.
According to him, security agencies have held several engagements with social media companies to address posts and accounts that pose threats to national security.
“The issue of social media platforms used by terrorist groups—if you knew how many accounts we took down. We have had several meetings with these social media platforms like: TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and X.
They are businesses looking to grow their subscribers, but we engage them, explain the effects of certain posts on national security, and we take them down.
“There was a time when bandits would go on TikTok showing their loot. We took those accounts down—you don’t see that again. At some point, they were even doing live streams and holding conversations, but we’ve been able to handle all that,” he said.
He noted that terrorist tactics continue to evolve, including the use of aliases and unverified accounts, adding that security agencies are constantly adapting to counter such developments.
Laka also said ransom payments remain a major source of terror financing, with point-of-sale operators increasingly exploited to move funds.
He explained that in many cases, ransom payments are transferred to accounts belonging to POS operators, who then release the cash to kidnappers, making tracking more difficult.
