JUST IN: Senate orders arrest of bandits flaunting cash on TikTok

Nigeria's Senate has called for urgent action from security agencies to intensify surveillance and apprehend bandits and terrorists who openly display their criminal activities and financial proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. This resolution follows a motion by Senator Sunday Karimi, highlighting growing concerns over the brazenness of online criminal networks.

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Bandits and terrorists who carry out these activities live on their social media handles. Two days ago, bandits conducted a giveaway, distributing over ₦100m within the space of 30 minutes through their social media handles, especially TikTok.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan introduced an amendment, urging the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant agencies to track and arrest individuals publicizing criminal operations online. She expressed alarm that armed groups are now leveraging digital platforms to project influence and flaunt wealth, citing an instance where bandits allegedly conducted a "giveaway" of over 100 million naira within 30 minutes via TikTok.

Akpoti-Uduaghan questioned the lack of arrests despite these overt digital footprints, emphasizing the need for cybercrime units to monitor such activities. The prayer was seconded and received broad support, reflecting legislative concern over the intersection of insecurity and unchecked digital exposure by criminal elements.

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I wonder why the Cybercrime Unit and the Police Force generally cannot track these activities and apprehend them since they are on social media. Therefore, I urge the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre to track and arrest these individuals.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the suspects' conduct as a direct affront to state authority and a troubling display of impunity. He warned that the open circulation of videos showing cash displays and criminal activities on social media platforms amounts to a challenge to the rule of law, urging agencies like the Department of State Services to track and arrest these individuals.

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The Department of State Services should be able to track their movements and arrest them because this is a show of impunity, as if there is no law at all.