By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Federal Government has announced the identification of 15 entities suspected of involvement in funding terrorism.
The announcement comes in a report titled “Identification of Persons and Organizations as of March 18, 2024” by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The report details a meeting of the Nigeria Sanctions Committee on March 18th, where individuals and entities were designated for sanctions due to alleged ties to terrorist financing.
The Attorney General, with presidential approval, has placed these entities on the Nigeria Sanctions List.
One notable individual identified is Tukur Mamu, a publisher from Kaduna currently on trial for suspected involvement in the March 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
The NFIU report accuses Mamu of “participating in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransom payments” exceeding $200,000 for the release of hostages held by the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The report outlines the suspected activities of other individuals, including a suspect linked to the June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, and the July 2022 attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
A member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, with alleged ties to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, was also involved.
This individual is accused of expertise in bomb-making, designing coded communication for terrorists, and acting as a courier and gatekeeper for the group’s leader.
He is currently at large after escaping from the Kuje prison break in July 2022.
On the list is also a senior commander of ISWAP’s Okene faction, suspected of involvement in attacks around the Federal Capital Territory and the southwest, including the Owo church attack.
The Nigerian government’s identification of these entities is a significant step in combating terrorism financing. Further investigations and potential legal proceedings are anticipated.
This development highlights the ongoing fight against terrorism in Nigeria and the government’s commitment to disrupting its financial networks.
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