The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has apprehended 11 suspected senior members of terrorist groups in Nigeria as part of a sweeping continent-wide operation against terrorism financing and related crimes.
The arrests were carried out under Operation Catalyst, a two-month collaborative effort between Interpol and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL). The operation spanned six countries — Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan — targeting individuals and entities involved in terrorism-related financial activities.
According to Interpol, more than 15,000 individuals and organizations were examined during the operation, uncovering over $260 million in both fiat and virtual currencies potentially tied to terrorism. Authorities seized more than $600,000 in cash and digital assets.
“Of the 83 arrests made, 21 were linked to terrorism-related crimes, 28 to financial fraud and money laundering, 16 to cyber-enabled scams, and 18 to the illicit use of virtual assets,” Interpol said.
In Angola, 25 people from different nationalities were arrested in connection with informal money transfer systems suspected of facilitating terrorism financing and money laundering. Authorities confiscated $588,000, alongside 100 mobile phones, 40 computers, and 60 frozen bank accounts.
In Kenya, investigators uncovered a suspected money-laundering network using a virtual asset service provider believed to have ties to terrorism financing. The operation, worth approximately $430,000, led to two arrests. Two additional suspects were detained for allegedly recruiting youths from East and North Africa into terrorist organizations via online platforms, with funds traced through cryptocurrency channels to Tanzania.
Interpol confirmed that Nigeria’s participation in the crackdown resulted in the arrest of 11 suspected terrorists, including high-ranking members of multiple extremist groups.
Additionally, the agency exposed a massive cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme operating across 17 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya. The fraudulent network posed as a legitimate trading platform, deceiving over 100,000 victims worldwide and causing estimated losses of $562 million.
Interpol stated that several large cryptocurrency wallets connected to the scam are now under investigation for possible links to terrorism financing. The global probe remains ongoing.
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