Security agencies have invited six individuals and three companies recently designated by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) as investigations into their alleged involvement in terrorism financing and suspected links to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue.
The invitations follow their designation by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), which directed the immediate freezing of all funds, assets and economic resources connected to the affected individuals and companies in accordance with the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The disclosure was made on Thursday during a joint media briefing involving security, defence and law enforcement agencies in Abuja.
Speaking at the briefing, an official of the NFIU, Kingsley Amaku, explained that the designations were the outcome of detailed intelligence gathering, financial investigations and coordinated assessments carried out by relevant agencies.
According to him, the individuals affected are Muktar Muhammad Adamu, Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima, Adamu Chiroma, Ibrahim Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar Usman and Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam.
The companies listed include Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited, Generation Currency BDC Limited and Nine to Nine BDC Limited.
Amaku further revealed that Muktar Muhammad Adamu, Generation Currency BDC Limited and Nine to Nine BDC Limited had also been sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) over their alleged involvement in facilitating terrorism financing.
He said financial institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) across the country had been instructed to immediately identify and freeze all accounts, funds and assets linked to the designated persons and organisations.
“Their designations by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations and inter-agency assessments which established reasonable grounds to suspect their involvement in financing, facilitating or supporting terrorist activities,” Amaku said.
He explained that the coordinated sanctions demonstrate the increasing collaboration between Nigeria and its international partners in tackling terrorism financing and safeguarding the country’s financial system from abuse.
According to reports, the designated individuals and companies have now been invited by the relevant security agencies for questioning as investigators seek to establish the extent of their alleged involvement in financing terrorist activities and supporting extremist networks operating within and outside Nigeria.
The ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether further legal actions, including prosecution, will be taken against those implicated in the alleged terrorism financing activities.
