The Federal Government uncovered no fewer than 15 terrorism financiers in the country.
The terrorism financiers uncovered by the government were nine individuals and six Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and firms.
This was disclosed in a document released by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
The NFIU noted that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on Monday, March 18, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their alleged involvement in terrorism financing.
It stated that Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, with the approval of President Bola Tinubu has designated the individuals and companies to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List.
Among the individuals named in the document was a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.
The NFIU stated that Mamu allegedly participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransom payments over the sum of $200,000 in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
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Another terrorism financier, according to NFIU, is the suspected attacker of the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on June 5, 2022, and the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on July 5, 2022.
Another was “a member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, the group is associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.”
“The subject was trained and served under Muktar Belmokhtar, aka One Eyed Out, led Al-Murabtoun Katibat of AQIM in Algeria and Mali,” it added.
The NFIU said the individual “specialises in designing terrorist clandestine communication code and he is also an Improvised Explosive Device expert.
It stated: “The subject was also a gatekeeper to ANSARU leader, Mohammed Usman aka Khalid Al-Bamawi.
“Equally, he was a courier and travel guide to AQIM Katibat in the desert of Algeria and Mali. He is into carpentry. The subject fled Kuje Correctional Centre on July 5, 2022. He is currently at large.”
Another was identified as “a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province Okene.”
The NFIU noted that the individual came into limelight in 2012 as the North Central wing of Boko Haram.
“The group is suspected of the attacks carried out around Federal Capital Territory and the South West Geographical Zone, including the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State,” it added.
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