Interpol confirms arrest of 11 high-profile terror suspects in Nigeria
The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has arrested 11 suspected senior members of various terrorist groups in Nigeria as part of international operations against terrorism financing and related crimes.
In a statement announcing the outcome of the operation, Interpol disclosed that the exercise targeted terrorism financing networks and other illegal activities that support extremist operations. More than 15,000 persons of interest and entities were scrutinized during the investigation.
The arrests were made under “Operation Catalyst,” a two-month joint effort by Interpol and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL), which led to the detention of 83 suspects across six African countries — Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan. Of the 83 suspects arrested, 21 were held for terrorism-related crimes, 28 for financial fraud and money laundering, 16 for cyber-enabled scams, and 18 for the illicit use of virtual assets.
According to the statement, the coordinated raids uncovered about $260 million in both fiat and virtual currencies believed to be linked to terrorism-related activities, with over $600,000 already seized.
In one significant case in Angola, authorities detained 25 individuals of multiple nationalities for operating informal value transfer systems allegedly connected to terrorism financing and money laundering. The operation also led to the inspection of 30 commercial establishments, the seizure of $588,000 in cash, 100 mobile phones, 40 computers, and the freezing of 60 bank accounts.
In Kenya, investigators uncovered a money laundering network using a virtual asset service provider to channel funds possibly linked to terrorist groups. The scheme, valued at about $430,000, resulted in two arrests. Two additional suspects were apprehended in a separate case involving online recruitment of youths from East and North Africa into terrorist organizations, with the recruitment funds traced through cryptocurrency transactions to Tanzania.
Interpol said the Nigerian operation resulted in the arrest of 11 suspected terrorists, including high-level operatives of multiple groups. It added that a major cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme, which operated in at least 17 countries including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya, defrauded more than 100,000 victims of about $562 million.
Investigations into the operation are still ongoing, with Interpol noting that several large cryptocurrency wallets potentially linked to terrorist financing have been identified for further probe.
