By Uzair Adam
The National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC-ONSA), Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, has warned that some Point of Sale (POS) operators are playing active roles in facilitating terrorism and kidnapping in Nigeria.
Maj. Gen. Laka raised the alarm on Tuesday during an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, where he disclosed that ransom payments demanded by kidnappers are often routed through accounts owned by POS operators, making it difficult for security agencies to trace the funds.
According to him, investigations have revealed a recurring pattern in which kidnappers provide victims’ families with POS account details for ransom transfers. Once the money is sent, the criminals simply collect the cash from the operators.
“You see a transfer made by terrorists, and when you investigate the account, it belongs to a POS operator.
“The kidnappers give out the POS operator’s number, the money is transferred, and they go to collect it,” he explained.
He said the practice has become a major challenge for counter-terrorism efforts, as it allows criminal networks to move funds discreetly while evading financial tracking mechanisms.