The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) says 11 high-level members of terrorist groups have been arrested in Nigeria.
The arrests were part of Operation Catalyst, a landmark operation targeting terrorism financing and related criminal activities across six African countries.
According to INTERPOL, the three-month operation, conducted between July and September 2025, led to 83 arrests and identified 160 persons of interest.
Countries that participated in the operation include Nigeria, Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, and South Sudan.
In Nigeria, INTERPOL confirmed that 11 suspected terrorists, including senior members of various terrorist groups, were apprehended.
The operation also uncovered several financial networks suspected of funding terrorism activities through illegal transactions and online fraud schemes.
INTERPOL said law enforcement screened over 15,000 persons and entities, revealing about USD 260 million in fiat and virtual currencies linked to terrorism financing.
Approximately USD 600,000 has already been seized, while further investigations are ongoing to trace and recover additional assets.
The operation also exposed financial fraud, cyber-enabled scams, money laundering, and illicit use of virtual assets as major sources of terrorist funding.
The operation was jointly coordinated by INTERPOL and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL).
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said the collaboration was crucial to tackling the complex networks funding terrorism.
“Operation Catalyst is the first time financial crime, cybercrime and counter-terrorism units from multiple African countries have joined forces.
“By sharing intelligence, expertise and resources, we can more effectively disrupt the financial flows that support terrorist activities and keep our communities safe,” Urquiza said.
AFRIPOL Executive Director Ambassador Jalel Chelba lauded the operation’s success, describing it as proof of Africa’s united front against terrorism.
“This joint endeavour, dedicated to disrupting the financing of terrorism, illustrates how coordinated action between Member States can address complex and evolving security threats,” Chelba said.
Listing its operation in other African countries, the agency said in Angola, authorities detained 25 individuals and seized USD 588,000, 100 phones, and 40 computers in a related probe.
In Kenya, police dismantled a USD 430,000 virtual asset laundering network with suspected terrorism links. Two people were arrested.
Another Kenyan case saw two suspects arrested for using cryptocurrency to recruit youths into terrorist groups across East and North Africa.
A separate cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme affecting at least 17 countries, including Nigeria, was also uncovered. It defrauded victims of USD 562 million.
Meanwhile, INTERPOL said a Red Notice had been issued for a suspect behind a USD 5 million cryptocurrency scam used to fund terrorism.
The operation was conducted under the ISPA programme, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, to strengthen AFRIPOL’s fight against transnational organised crime and terrorism.
It said investigators believe the funds were redirected through multiple exchanges to hide their origins and convert them into fiat currency.
INTERPOL said investigations into the financial networks and assets linked to terrorism financing are still ongoing.
