Senate orders crackdown on TikTok bandits

The Senate has called on security agencies to intensify efforts to track and arrest bandits and terrorists who openly display their activities and suspected criminal proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi on the growing wave of banditry and terrorist attacks in Kogi West and other parts of the country.

During deliberations on Thursday, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other security agencies to monitor and apprehend criminal elements using social media to publicise their operations.

According to her, some bandit groups have become increasingly bold, openly displaying wealth believed to have been acquired through criminal activities and even conducting cash giveaways online.

She alleged that bandits recently distributed more than ₦100 million through social media platforms within a short period, questioning why security agencies had not been able to trace and arrest those involved despite their visible online presence.

The proposal received support from Senator Osita Ngwu and was adopted by the Senate.

Speaking on the issue, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the public display of criminal activities on social media as a dangerous show of impunity and a challenge to state authority.

He said intelligence agencies, including the Department of State Services, should be able to track and apprehend individuals openly posting such content online.

Akpabio warned that videos showing suspected criminals displaying cash and celebrating illegal activities undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s security system and embolden criminal networks.

He urged security and intelligence agencies to treat the issue as a national security priority and improve coordination in responding to online intelligence.

The Senate President also called for greater accountability, saying security agencies should keep Nigerians informed whenever arrests are made and prosecutions initiated against suspects identified through social media activities.

The resolution comes amid growing concerns over the increasing use of digital platforms by criminal groups to project influence, recruit followers and showcase proceeds of crime.