The Digest:
The National Counter Terrorism Centre has identified point-of-sale operators as key facilitators in the ransom payment chain to terrorists and kidnappers. According to the Centre, investigations reveal that ransom funds are often transferred directly to POS agents, who then allow criminals to withdraw the money, exploiting gaps in financial oversight to fund violence and evade detection.
Key Points:
- The NCTC reports that POS operators are being used to facilitate ransom payments to terrorists and kidnappers.
- Investigations show victims often transfer ransom directly to POS accounts provided by the criminals.
- The rapid expansion of Nigeria's POS network, while aiding financial inclusion, has created supervision gaps.
- CBN regulations require KYC checks and suspicious transaction reporting, but enforcement is uneven, especially in rural areas.
- The NCTC warned media against prematurely disclosing sensitive operational details that could compromise security.
- Extremist groups like JNIM have infiltrated border regions, exacerbating insecurity in the North-west and North-central.
- The Centre is engaging social media platforms to remove terrorist propaganda and extremist-linked accounts.
Sources: Premium Times, Vanguard
