No safe space for terrorists on social media — FG

The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed that its security agencies are actively working with major social media platforms to identify and remove accounts used by terrorist and criminal groups to promote their activities and raise funds.

At an end‑of‑year press briefing in Abuja, the Director‑General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major‑General Adamu Laka, said platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and X have been targeted in the effort to stop extremists from using them to spread propaganda or communicate with supporters.

Laka noted that in the past, bandits and other criminal groups used social media to show off loot or even livestream their activities, but many of those accounts have now been taken down following sustained engagement with the platforms.

He explained that terrorists are adapting by using fake or anonymous accounts, and the government continues to adjust its strategies accordingly.

The NCTC boss also highlighted that ransom payments, which remain a key source of funding for kidnappers and terrorists, are being moved through point‑of‑sale (POS) operators to make tracking more difficult.

Security agencies are stepping up efforts to trace these transactions, arrest those involved, and seize assets, while working to meet international counter‑terrorism financing standards.

Despite ongoing challenges — such as evolving digital tactics and porous regional borders — the government says it will continue strengthening both online and offline counter‑terrorism measures.