The Federal Government has raised concern over the growing use of Point of Sale operators by terrorists and kidnappers to collect ransom payments, warning that the development poses a serious challenge to efforts aimed at tracking and disrupting terror financing networks across the country.
The Director General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Tuesday during an end of year briefing in Abuja, where he outlined emerging trends in terrorism financing and the evolving tactics of criminal groups.
Laka said intelligence reports available to the government showed that ransom payments were increasingly being routed through PoS operators’ bank accounts, a move that makes it difficult for security agencies to trace the flow of funds and identify those behind kidnapping and terror related crimes.
According to him, kidnappers now provide families of victims with PoS account numbers into which ransom money is transferred, after which the funds are withdrawn and handed over to the criminals.
“You will see a transfer, 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 there to collect it,” Laka explained.
He described ransom payments as one of the biggest sources of terrorist financing in Nigeria, adding that security agencies were intensifying efforts to monitor financial flows linked to kidnapping and terrorism.
The NCTC boss disclosed that several arrests and prosecutions had already been recorded in connection with ransom payments and terror financing, although he declined to provide specific details due to security concerns.
“We are tracking these payments, arresting those involved and disrupting the networks, but some operational details cannot be made public for obvious security reasons,” he said.
Laka also revealed that Nigeria’s recent progress in meeting the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force on anti money laundering and counter terrorism financing was partly achieved through coordinated investigations by a joint committee involving security agencies, financial intelligence units and the judiciary.
He added that asset seizures and recoveries linked to terrorism financing had further strengthened the country’s compliance with international standards.
Beyond financial channels, the NCTC chief said terrorist groups were increasingly exploiting social media platforms to publicise their activities, raise funds and communicate with supporters.
According to him, platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X have been used by terrorist groups to display looted items, promote operations and mobilise support.
Laka noted that Nigerian security agencies were engaging major social media companies to identify and take down accounts linked to terrorism and other criminal activities.
“These platforms are businesses interested in growing their user base, but we engage them, explain the national security implications of certain posts, and those accounts are taken down,” he said.
While acknowledging the security challenges posed by porous borders in the Sahel region and the changing tactics of terrorists, Laka assured Nigerians that security agencies would continue to strengthen both physical and digital counter terrorism measures.
“We are doing our best and we will not relent. In 2026, we are going to up our game,” he added.
