The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi who represents Kogi West Senatorial District on the rising wave of bandit attacks and terrorist incursions in Kogi West and other parts of the country.
During deliberations Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District introduced an additional prayer calling for coordinated action by the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and other relevant security agencies to track, monitor, and arrest individuals who use Social Media platforms to publicise criminal operations.
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Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed alarm that armed groups were no longer operating covertly but were instead leveraging digital platforms to project influence, flaunt ill-gotten wealth, and in some cases carry out public giveaways believed to be funded through criminal activity.
She said two days ago bandits conducted a giveaway distributing over one hundred million naira within the space of 30 minutes through their social media handles especially TikTok.
The senator questioned why such overt digital footprints had not translated into arrests by relevant security agencies, particularly units mandated to track cyber-enabled crimes.
She wondered why the Cybercrime Unit and the Police Force generally cannot track these activities and apprehend them since they are on social media, and she urged the Nigerian Police Force National Cybercrime Centre to track and arrest these individuals.
The additional prayer was seconded by Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West Senatorial District and received broad support across party lines.
Responding to the development Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio described the conduct of the suspects as a direct affront to state authority and a troubling display of impunity.
He said 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.
Akpabio warned that the open circulation of videos showing cash displays and criminal activities on social media platforms amounted to a deliberate attempt to ridicule government institutions and undermine public confidence in the country’s security architecture.
He said he does not see why they should not have control over the social media space, adding that the idea of showing themselves and displaying the cash collected is a way of challenging the government.
The Senate President urged intelligence and security agencies to treat the matter as an urgent national security priority, calling for improved coordination and real-time response to online intelligence.
He said he wants the security agencies and heads of security services to see this as a major challenge, and whenever anybody finds such content it should be brought to the attention of the Senate so they can invite the relevant federal authorities to explain why those people have not been apprehended.
He also emphasised the need for accountability mechanisms that would ensure the public is informed once arrests are made and prosecutions commenced.
