Eleven suspected terrorists with alleged links to multiple extremist groups operating in Nigeria and the wider Sahel have been arrested in an international security sweep coordinated by INTERPOL and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL).
The crackdown, codenamed Operation Catalyst, targeted terrorism financing and other transnational crimes across Africa. Conducted between July and September 2025, the two-month operation spanned six countries — Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan.
According to a joint statement released by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL on Thursday, 83 suspects were arrested and 160 persons of interest identified for their alleged roles in terrorism financing, money laundering, cyber-enabled fraud, and the illicit use of virtual assets.
In Nigeria, the operation led to the arrest of 11 high-level operatives believed to be members of several extremist groups active in the country and across the Sahel region.
Investigators also uncovered a cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme posing as an online trading platform that defrauded victims in at least 17 countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Cameroon, of over $562 million.
“The scheme accumulated more than 100,000 victims worldwide,” INTERPOL disclosed, adding that several large cryptocurrency wallets linked to the scam were “potentially connected to terrorism financing activities.”
In a related move, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for another suspect accused of running a sophisticated crypto fraud that diverted roughly $5 million through multiple blockchain addresses and exchanges to conceal the money trail.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said the operation underscores the effectiveness of global law enforcement cooperation.
“Operation Catalyst shows the power of coordinated international action in dismantling the complex web of terrorism financing,” he said.
AFRIPOL Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, also hailed the success of the operation, saying it reflects Africa’s growing collective resolve to tackle cross-border security challenges.
“This joint effort demonstrates how coordinated action among member states can strengthen security and contribute to a more stable Africa,” Chelba stated.
Credit: BBC
This is a nebulous report as it mentions none of the terrorists and their sponsors identified or arrested in the operation.