Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has warned that terrorist groups are using AI and other digital tools to aid propaganda, recruitment and cross-border operations. The warning came at a regional security conference, where officials also called for better technical training and intelligence-sharing, Politics Nigeria reports.
Watch Desk analysis
What happened
Ribadu said the spread of artificial intelligence, drones and virtual assets is adding to security challenges for Nigeria and neighbouring countries. He argued that AI can produce personalised content, while drones and virtual assets may expand groups’ operational and financing options.
The report says Ribadu urged regional agencies to improve cooperation, technical skills and access to actionable cyber-threat information. African Union counter-terrorism official Idriss Lalalli also called for training in areas including cyber threat intelligence, digital forensics and blockchain analysis.
Why it matters
The warning connects AI to a practical security debate: whether agencies can identify and disrupt the use of digital platforms and emerging tools across borders. Ribadu’s proposed emphasis is not simply buying more surveillance equipment, but building specialist capacity and improving coordination.
These are warnings and recommendations attributed to officials at the conference, not evidence in this report of a specific attack enabled by AI. That distinction matters: a credible discussion about preparedness should not turn broad claims into proof of a particular threat.
Our read
The useful part is the focus on people, skills and cooperation alongside technology. A list of tools is not a threat assessment, and a new acronym is not a capability. The test will be whether the training and regional coordination described lead to demonstrable improvements in investigations and prevention.
What to watch
- Whether Nigeria or regional partners publish details of the proposed training and cooperation.
- Whether officials provide specific, verifiable examples of AI use by terrorist groups.
- Whether the National Counter Terrorism Centre gains regional accreditation as a centre of excellence, as the report says Ribadu described.
Discussion spark: What evidence should security agencies have to publish before claims about terrorist use of AI shape policy or surveillance?
Sources and evidence
- Source update (14 October 2026, 04:40 UTC)
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