The Senate has called on security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts against bandits and terrorists who openly display their activities and financial proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi on the increasing wave of bandit attacks and terrorist activities in Kogi West Senatorial District and other parts of the country.
During deliberations, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan proposed an additional resolution urging the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant security agencies to identify, monitor, and arrest individuals who use social media platforms to promote or publicise criminal activities.
The senator expressed concern that criminal groups are increasingly using digital platforms to project influence, display wealth suspected to have been acquired through illegal means, and gain public attention.
According to her, some criminal elements have become emboldened enough to openly showcase large sums of money and other proceeds of crime on social media, raising questions about the effectiveness of intelligence gathering and cybercrime monitoring efforts.
She urged security agencies, particularly those responsible for cybercrime investigations, to take advantage of the digital footprints left by such individuals to track and apprehend them.
The proposal received support from lawmakers across party lines, reflecting growing concern over the use of social media as a platform for glorifying criminal activities and challenging state authority.
Speaking during the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the conduct of the suspects as a troubling display of impunity and a direct challenge to the authority of the state.
He stressed that intelligence and security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), should be capable of tracking individuals who openly publicise their activities online and bringing them to justice.
Akpabio warned that the circulation of videos and images showing criminal activities and displays of wealth on social media undermines public confidence in the country’s security institutions and sends the wrong message to citizens.
He further called on security agencies to treat the issue as an urgent national security concern and strengthen collaboration to ensure prompt responses to intelligence gathered from digital platforms.
The Senate President also emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in security operations, urging relevant agencies to keep the public informed whenever suspects are arrested and prosecuted.
Lawmakers noted that the increasing use of social media by criminal groups highlights the evolving nature of security threats and underscores the need for modern intelligence-gathering strategies, technological capabilities, and stronger cybercrime enforcement mechanisms.
The Senate subsequently resolved to urge security and intelligence agencies to enhance online surveillance, improve inter-agency coordination, and take swift action against individuals who use digital platforms to promote criminal activities or intimidate the public.
The lawmakers maintained that addressing both physical and digital dimensions of insecurity is essential to strengthening national security and restoring public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
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