IG orders police to send terrorism financing cases to special unit

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The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed police officers nationwide to channel cases involving terrorism financing, banditry and other financial crimes to specialised units.

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He said this was part of efforts to strengthen intelligence-led policing and curb criminal activities.

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The IGP disclosed this on Tuesday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

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He said the directive was informed by the changing nature of crime, which increasingly relies on illicit financial transactions across borders.

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“The dynamics of crime is changing daily everywhere in the world, and within seconds monies are moving over the continent.

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“Monies that have to be laundered, monies that a lot of people want to clean by different deceits. Financial intelligence is a necessity,” he said.

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The police chief stressed that closer collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the NFIU was essential to tackling terrorism, banditry, crude oil theft and other organised crimes.

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“We need to collaborate more and share intelligence because of the security situation we have in the country today—terrorism, banditry, and even in cases of theft of crude. Following their proceeds will assist to bring down the crime to nothing less than 50 per cent,” he said.

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“Following the money, a lot of their crimes will be solved, so we need to collaborate. We need to continue to see ourselves as symbiotic twins.”

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Announcing the new directive, he said the Force had established a dedicated Proceeds of Crime Section to improve investigations into financial crimes and terrorism financing.

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“We have directed all our officers to direct cases they discover that have to do with terror, banditry, and where monies have been circulated to teams that are specialised in handling it.

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“The Force has established the Proceeds of Crime Section, and this is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police with vast experience and expertise in financial crime to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing,” he said.

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According to him, the unit has enhanced the Force’s role within Nigeria’s anti-money laundering framework.

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“The establishment and operationalisation of the section have enhanced the visibility and relevance of the Force within the Nigerian anti-money laundering architecture,” he added.

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Disu also appealed to the NFIU to provide more training opportunities for police personnel in financial intelligence and asset tracing.

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“Let us share intelligence. Let us train together. When trainings come your way, we plead, give us some slots, especially training that has to do with movement of money around.

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“We are sure 50 per cent of this crime can be solved by just following the money, ” he said.

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Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, described the police as a critical partner in Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.

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She said financial intelligence had become indispensable in investigating terrorism financing, kidnapping, cybercrime, corruption, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, illegal mining, arms trafficking and organised crime.

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“Financial intelligence has increasingly become the thread that connects criminal conduct to those who profit from it.

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“In this regard, the collaboration between the NFIU and the Nigerian Police Force remains essential to ensuring that criminals are not only arrested but deprived of the financial resources that sustain their operations.”

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She commended the Nigeria Police Force for its role in Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list and urged sustained collaboration ahead of the country’s 2027 mutual evaluation.

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“The future of law enforcement is intelligence-driven. Criminals today have financial footprints long before they leave physical evidence,” she said.

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Bakari said the NFIU would continue to support the police through intelligence sharing, strategic analysis, operational support and capacity development to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against financial crimes and terrorism financing.

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