Terrorists deploy AI, crypto to evade security agencies – Ribadu

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre issued an urgent warning on Tuesday that terrorist groups are exploiting AI, cryptocurrencies, and emerging technologies to evade security agencies across West Africa and the Sahel. At a three-day regional training conference in Abuja, Ribadu stressed the need to strengthen technical expertise, institutions, and cross-border cooperation to anticipate, detect, analyse, and disrupt threats before they materialise.

He highlighted how AI can rapidly produce personalized content, drones and autonomous systems expand operational capabilities, and virtual assets create new financing channels for terrorists. To combat this growing threat, Ribadu called for increased cross-border intelligence sharing, timely exchange of cyber threat information, and partnerships with private sector actors.