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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Department of State Services (DSS) has called for stronger synergy among law enforcement agencies in the country to tackle terror financing.
The Director General of the agency, Yusuf Bichi Magaji, made the call on Monday while declaring open a workshop on Terrorism Financing Risk (TFR) for law enforcement agencies and judicial officers organized by the Service in Abuja. Bichi.
Represented by the Director, Training and Staff Development, Brown Ekwoaba, Bichi said the overwhelming response from law enforcement agencies requires that all hands must be on deck to expose the nefarious activities of perpetrators for possible prosecution.
He said beneath this expectation, is a clarion call to action for improved inter-agency collaboration aimed at detecting, disrupting and preventing the abuse of the country’s financial system by terrorists and other criminal networks.
According to him, “the ever-changing nature and sophistication of threats make it imperative for security operatives to be critical thinkers in order to fashion out better and efficient ways to tackle threats. Among the evolving global crimes, is money laundering and terrorism financing, which requires the development of a working national anti-terrorism and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime for the country.
“Nigeria as a committed stakeholder needs to contribute its quota in protecting the integrity and stability of the international financial system by terminating resources available to terrorists, as well as making it difficult for those engaged in crime not to profit from their criminal activities, as stipulated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).”
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Continuing, he said: “This process requires countries to identify, assess and understand prevailing financial risks, with a view to mitigating same. A nation striving for cohesion like ours must effectively disrupt terrorist networks through the application of anti-money laundering/countering financing terrorism measures.
“Through money laundering, criminal organizations and organized crime syndicates, benefit from their illegal activities, with some utilizing cross border channels such as drug and human trafficking, and arms smuggling among others. With criminal elements perfecting concealment of origin of illicit funds, it behoves us, that a strengthened anti-criminal response to money laundering activities will contribute to cutting off sources of finance as well as countering the financial incentives which drive the crime.
He expressed the hope that the workshop would among others, demonstrate relevant investigative techniques adopted, and to be adopted by law enforcement agencies in countering terrorism financing, as well as abilities to identify links between predicate offences and illicit financial activities.
“While I concede that the task to combat illicit flow of funds may be daunting it is, however, not insurmountable. Therefore we must all join hands with knowledge, commitment and focus to change the tide.”
Earlier in his address, the Director of Operations of the DSS, Mr Joseph Nuhu Dashwep, said the Service has developed and implemented a variety of strategies aimed at combating terrorist threats underpinned by a decisive focus on their finances. He said regardless of the adoption of these measures, it should be emphasized that effective combating of financial crimes and terrorism is a collaborative effort involving all stakeholders, especially law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence units, regulatory agencies and the Judiciary.
“We must never lose sight of the complementary role each agency plays towards the successful conviction of perpetrators of these crimes and their sponsors in line with Financial Action Task Force objectives,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Legal Services, Dauda Usman, said all hands to be on deck to combat the menace of terrorism financing whose activities are ravaging most parts of the country.
