The Federal Government has revealed that Nigerian security services are collaborating with major social media platforms to identify and deactivate accounts used by terrorist and criminal groups to publicise their operations and generate revenue.

Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, stated at an end-of-year briefing in Abuja on Tuesday that terrorists used platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and X to publicise operations, display looted items, and communicate with supporters.

According to him, security officials have engaged with social media firms on multiple occasions to address content and accounts that constitute a threat 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 stated that terrorist techniques, such as the use of aliases and unverified accounts, are ever-changing, and that security services are always adjusting to counter them.

Laka also stated that ransom payments remain a key source of terror financing, with point-of-sale operators increasingly being used to transport monies.

He stated that in many cases, ransom payments are routed to POS operators’ accounts, who subsequently release the funds to kidnappers, making tracing more difficult.

“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 said.

The counter-terrorism head stated that security services had increased efforts to trace ransom payments, arrest individuals responsible, and destroy terror funding networks, but emphasised that operational specifics must not be made public for security reasons.

He stated that multiple arrests and convictions have taken place in connection with ransom payments and terrorism funding, and that asset recoveries and seizures are part of Nigeria’s compliance with international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.

According to Laka, the country’s recent achievement in achieving the Financial Action Task Force standards may be attributed in part to coordinated investigations by a joint committee comprised of security agencies, financial intelligence units, and the courts.

While acknowledging the challenges posed by evolving terror tactics and porous borders in the Sahel region, he assured Nigerians that security agencies would continue to strengthen both physical and digital counter-terrorism efforts.

He said,

“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.”

Criminal gangs are increasingly using social media to propagate propaganda, highlight unlawful actions, and connect with their networks.

The termination of these accounts comes after repeated requests for platforms hosting content that encourages or supports such actions to take them down.