The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has raised the alarm over the growing use of digital platforms by criminal networks to radicalise individuals and finance terrorism, warning that the trend poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s national security and economic stability.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, disclosed this during a national Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) media outreach programme held in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
Aliyu said the rapid advancement of the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence had significantly reshaped the financial crime landscape, enabling criminals to move illicit funds across borders with unprecedented speed.
According to him, terrorist groups and other criminal elements now exploit anonymous online channels to recruit and radicalise individuals, while deploying sophisticated cyber-enabled schemes to defraud unsuspecting citizens.
“They radicalise and fund extremist networks through anonymous online channels. They deploy sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud schemes that target unsuspecting citizens across the country,” he said.
He added that the anonymity and speed offered by digital technologies have made detection more difficult for law enforcement agencies, thereby raising the stakes in the fight against financial crimes.
Despite the challenges, the ICPC boss noted that emerging technologies also present opportunities for combating crime if properly deployed.
He commended the NFIU for adopting advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and real-time monitoring systems to track suspicious financial transactions.
“We must not merely react to the crime curve; we must anticipate it,” Aliyu said, stressing the need for a proactive, technology-driven approach to tackling financial crimes.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, said illicit financial flows continue to fuel organised crime, corruption, human trafficking, and violent extremism.
GIABA’s Country Director, Timothy Melaye, urged journalists to play a more active role in exposing money laundering activities, warning that the media must not be used by corrupt individuals to obstruct justice.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, reiterated that money laundering and terrorism financing remain major threats not only to Nigeria but to the entire West African sub-region.
Fagbemi said the Federal Government had continued to strengthen its anti-money laundering framework through legislative reforms, institutional capacity building, and improved inter-agency collaboration.
He, however, emphasised that beyond enforcement, public awareness and media engagement are critical to winning the fight against financial crimes.
“These crimes are often complex, transnational, and constantly evolving, requiring a coordinated, informed, and proactive response from all stakeholders,” he said.
The ICPC maintained that sustained collaboration among government agencies, the media, and the public is essential to counter the growing sophistication of criminal networks operating in the digital space.
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