FG asks AU to move against illicit funds

The federal government has called on the African Union (AU) to intensify efforts against illicit financial flows, saying the increasing wave of terrorism and violent extremism on the continent is fuelled by such funds.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to partnerships aimed at countering terrorism and violent extremism.

The media aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Magnus Eze, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the minister made the call at the 1354th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, at the ministerial level, held virtually on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

The meeting was presided over by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council of the AU for July 2026, Haruna Kasolo.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said: “Mr Chair, a major obstacle to any progress being made in the fight against terrorism in Africa is access to illicit funds. It facilitates the recruitment of youths and the procurement of lethal weapons by terrorist groups. We call on the PSC to stress the need for stronger international cooperation in preventing, tracing, recovering, and returning proceeds of illicit financial flows from safe havens to countries of origins.”

The minister further said that terrorist groups on the continent were becoming more resilient against conventional military counter-terrorism operations in Africa.

She also said Nigeria strongly condemned all acts of the twin evils of terrorism and violent extremism and extended the country’s solidarity to all victims of the menace.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed Nigeria’s appreciation for the sacrifices of the armed forces, who continue to confront terrorists operating across the continent on a daily basis.

“They are increasingly acquiring and deploying commercially available technologies, such as drones and other sophisticated digital platforms. They are also having what seems to be unhindered access to illicit financing through kidnapping for ransom and mining of precious minerals in territories where they operate,” the minister stated.

While noting that the spread of terrorism and violent extremism within the West African region had been cited as justification for military adventurists to unconstitutionally overthrow democratically elected governments in their countries, the minister said the greatest challenge before the AU was determining the best way to curtail the operational freedom of jihadist groups on the continent.

She, however, called for the urgent translation of commitments made at the 2022 Malabo Extraordinary Summit on Counter-Terrorism into action, as well as those made by member states during the High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting held in Abuja in 2024.

The minister urged that Africa should not be seen as the global epicentre of terrorism, stressing that this could lead to the unnecessary profiling of innocent Africans and subject them to ill-treatment at international airports and other destinations.

She explained that Nigeria had adopted a comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism that combines kinetic and non-kinetic measures.

The minister said: “Our sustained operations have ensured significant degrade in the operational capacity of Boko Haram and ISWAP as well as the restoration of government authority in many of the affected communities. We are combating financiers of terrorist activities in the country. We are also deradicalizing, rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant ex-combatants. To address the root causes, we have scaled up investment in education, critical infrastructure, economic empowerment of youths, and we are prioritizing community resilience. We are engaging traditional and religious leaders, women and youth in our strategies for countering extremist narratives and preventing radicalization.

“We appreciate the importance of coordination of efforts in addressing the scourge. That is why we are working closely with our neighbouring countries and championing the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Counter-Terrorism Strategy as well as the Region’s Early Warning and Response Network. We are strengthening intelligence-sharing, border security and coordinated responses to terrorist’s threats. Our support for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has made it the continental best practice on regional mechanisms for combating terrorists’ operations that it is today.

“In particular, we endorse the emphasis on strengthening intelligence-sharing and operational cooperation among Member States; disrupting terrorist financing networks; enhancing the Continental Early Warning System to improve early detection and response; strengthening cybersecurity; and developing continental guidelines for responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence in the prevention of and fight against terrorism and violent extremism.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also called on international partners to affirm zero tolerance for terrorism, regardless of its motives.

She urged them to take appropriate measures to prevent non-state actors from acquiring arms and ammunition, including drones, dual-use goods and other sophisticated weapons manufactured by companies in their territories.

According to her, international partners should demonstrate utmost sincerity in preventing the illicit trade in, and proliferation of, such enablers of terrorist attacks in Africa.