The Federal Government has issued a stark warning about the evolving tactics of terrorist groups in Nigeria, revealing they are now exploiting Point of Sale (PoS) operators to secretly collect ransom payments.
PoS Operators as Conduits for Terror Funds
Major-General Adamu Laka, the Director-General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), raised the alarm during the centre's 2025 end-of-year press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, December 23. He explained that this method helps kidnappers and terrorists avoid detection by security agencies.
Ransom payments remain a major source of terror financing, with criminals increasingly manipulating the informal financial sector. The senior military officer detailed the process: kidnappers provide victims' families with the account details of a PoS operator. After the ransom is transferred to that account, the operator releases the cash, making the money trail extremely difficult to follow.
"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," Laka stated.
Crackdown on Financing and Online Propaganda
Laka confirmed that security agencies have intensified efforts to track these illicit payments, arrest those involved, and dismantle the financial networks supporting terrorism. While operational details remain confidential for security reasons, he noted that several arrests and prosecutions have already been made concerning ransom payments and terrorism financing.
Asset recovery and seizures are also a key part of Nigeria's strategy to comply with international standards against money laundering and terror funding.
Beyond finance, the NCTC boss highlighted the misuse of popular social media platforms by terrorist groups. He listed TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and X as some platforms being used to publicize operations, display looted items, and communicate with supporters.
Engagement with Tech Giants
To counter this digital threat, Nigerian security agencies have held multiple meetings with these social media companies. The goal is to identify and remove accounts and posts that threaten national security.
"These platforms are businesses and are interested in growing their user base, but we engage them and explain the implications of certain posts on national security, and we take them down," Laka said.
He admitted that terrorist tactics are constantly changing, with the use of aliases and unverified accounts becoming common. However, he assured that security forces are also adapting their strategies to counter these new developments.
