By Ado Oyeyemi
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has warned that terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, drones and social media to evade security agencies, recruit fighters and finance their operations across West Africa and the Sahel.
Ribadu, represented by the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, raised the alarm on Tuesday in Abuja at a three-day regional conference on countering terrorists’ exploitation of information and communication technologies and emerging technologies.
He said terrorist organisations were leveraging digital platforms to spread propaganda, radicalise potential recruits, raise funds and coordinate attacks across national borders.
According to him, the growing use of artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles and virtual assets has introduced new challenges that require security agencies to strengthen their capacity to identify and disrupt threats before they escalate.
“Emerging technologies add further complexity: Artificial Intelligence can rapidly produce personalised content; drones and autonomous systems can expand operational capabilities; and virtual assets can create new financing channels,” he said.
The NSA stressed that tackling the threat required more than the acquisition of advanced equipment, noting that security agencies must invest in technical expertise, strengthen institutions and improve cooperation.
He also called for stronger cross-border intelligence sharing and the timely exchange of actionable information on cyber threats among countries in West Africa and the Sahel.
Ribadu maintained that no country or institution could successfully combat terrorism in isolation, emphasising the need for a coordinated regional response.
He disclosed that Nigeria was working with the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre to secure accreditation for the National Counter Terrorism Centre as a regional centre of excellence for counterterrorism in West Africa and the Sahel.
He said the initiative followed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration at the High-Level Africa Counterterrorism Summit in April 2024.
Also speaking, the Acting Director of the AU Counter-Terrorism Centre, Idriss Lalalli, said terrorist organisations, including the Islamic State West Africa Province, Boko Haram and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, were expanding their operations through digital technology.
Lalalli said the groups were allegedly using social media for recruitment, mobile money and cryptocurrencies to conceal financial transactions, and darknet marketplaces to procure weapons.
He added that satellite communications and drones were also being exploited to support operations and circumvent conventional security measures, while artificial intelligence was being used to customise propaganda and evade detection.
The AU official warned that the affordability and speed of digital tools had enabled terrorist cells to reach audiences beyond their immediate locations and operate faster than security agencies could respond.
He, however, said the growing threat could be addressed through specialised training, improved regional coordination and stronger partnerships with private-sector operators.
Lalalli explained that the conference was designed to equip participants with practical skills in cyber threat intelligence, open-source intelligence, digital forensics and blockchain analysis.
The training, he said, would help security personnel identify online recruitment networks, preserve digital evidence and trace cryptocurrency transactions linked to suspected terrorist activities.
He emphasised that the different areas of expertise must be integrated to strengthen investigations and support successful prosecutions.
Lalalli also called for closer cooperation with social media companies, telecommunications operators and financial service providers, noting that much of the infrastructure exploited by terrorist groups was controlled by private entities.
He urged participants to share the knowledge acquired during the training with other security personnel across the region.
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The three-day conference brought together security and intelligence personnel from West Africa and the Sahel, as well as representatives of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Multinational Joint Task Force, regional intelligence organisations and international bodies.
