Eleven suspected terrorists, including senior members of extremist groups, have been arrested in Nigeria during an international security operation coordinated by INTERPOL and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL).
The crackdown, codenamed Operation Catalyst, was carried out between July and September 2025 across six African countries, Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan.
According to a statement released by INTERPOL on Thursday, the exercise yielded 83 arrests and the identification of 160 persons of interest linked to terrorism financing, cyber-enabled fraud, money laundering, and the illicit use of virtual assets.
“In Nigeria, the operation led to the arrest of 11 suspected terrorists, including high-level members of several terrorist groups,” the statement read.
Beyond the arrests, investigators also dismantled a cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme disguised as a legitimate online trading platform, which reportedly defrauded more than 100,000 victims in at least 17 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya.
The scheme allegedly stole over $562m, with probes revealing that several large crypto wallets linked to the fraud were potentially tied to terrorism financing activities.
INTERPOL also issued a Red Notice for a separate suspect accused of running a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that siphoned about $5m, laundering funds through multiple addresses and exchanges to obscure the money trail.
INTERPOL Secretary General, Valdecy Urquiza, hailed the operation as a breakthrough in global counter-terrorism financing.
“Operation Catalyst shows the power of coordinated global law enforcement action in dismantling the complex web of terrorism financing,” Urquiza said.
Similarly, AFRIPOL’s Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, commended the outcome, describing it as proof of Africa’s growing collective capacity to confront security threats.
“This joint effort shows how coordinated action among member states can effectively address evolving security threats and contribute to a stable and secure Africa,” Chelba stated.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]