FG to Ensure Terrorists Social Media Accounts are Deleted

The Federal Government has revealed that Nigerian security agencies are collaborating with major social media companies to identify and remove 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 have been exploited by terrorists to publicise operations, display looted items, and communicate with supporters.

“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.

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Laka noted that terrorist tactics are constantly evolving, including the use of aliases and unverified accounts, prompting security agencies to adapt continuously to counter emerging threats.

He also highlighted that ransom payments remain a major source of terror financing, with point-of-sale (POS) operators increasingly exploited to move funds. “You see a transfer made by terrorists, and when you investigate the account, it belongs to a POS operator. The kidnappers give out the POS operator’s number, the money is transferred, and they go to collect it,” he explained.

The counter-terrorism chief added that security agencies have intensified efforts to track ransom payments, apprehend those involved, and disrupt terror financing networks, while noting that operational details cannot be disclosed for security reasons.

According to Laka, several arrests and prosecutions related to ransom payments and terrorism financing have been carried out, with asset recoveries and seizures forming part of Nigeria’s compliance with international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.

He also noted that coordinated investigations by security agencies, financial intelligence units, and the judiciary contributed to the country’s progress in meeting Financial Action Task Force requirements.

Acknowledging the challenges posed by evolving terror tactics and porous borders in the Sahel region, Laka assured Nigerians that security agencies are committed to strengthening both physical and digital counter-terrorism measures.

“Towards the end of 2023, the security situation in Nigeria was improving. But after the coups in some Sahel countries, the situation worsened because these terrorist groups have connections across the region.

“So Nigeria has to play a leadership role in West Africa and the Sahel to address these threats. As long as those countries continue to face these challenges, Nigeria will also face them. We are doing our best, and we will not relent. In 2026, we are going to up our game,” he said.

The development underscores the increasing use of social media by criminal networks to spread propaganda, showcase illicit activities, and coordinate operations, reinforcing calls for platforms to remove content that promotes or supports terrorism.