Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the fight against terrorism financing, money laundering, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime and other organised crimes through enhanced financial intelligence and intelligence sharing.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, the IGP described financial intelligence as one of the most critical tools in modern law enforcement.
He noted that as criminal networks become increasingly sophisticated, tracking illicit financial flows has become indispensable in dismantling criminal organisations.
"The dynamics of crime are changing daily across the world. Within seconds, illicit funds move across continents. Following the money is key to disrupting criminal enterprises, whether linked to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime or other organised crimes," the IGP said.
He commended the NFIU for its partnership with the Nigeria Police Force and its contribution to Nigeria's progress in strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) framework.
According to him, the specialised unit is expected to improve coordination between the Police and the NFIU in identifying, tracing and confiscating proceeds of crime.
He stressed the need for sustained intelligence sharing, joint training and capacity building, noting that following criminal proceeds could significantly reduce crime across the country.
"If we effectively follow the money, we can solve a substantial percentage of crimes. Criminals leave financial footprints, and by targeting those proceeds, we can dismantle their operations," he stated.
The IGP further appealed to the NFIU to provide additional training opportunities for police personnel, particularly in financial investigations and the tracking of illicit financial transactions, adding that the continuous training of officers remains essential as new personnel join the Force.
He also paid tribute to police officers who continue to make sacrifices in the line of duty, describing policing as a demanding 24-hour responsibility that often goes unnoticed.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, commended the Nigeria Police Force for its vital contributions to Nigeria's successful implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan, which culminated in the country's removal from the FATF Grey List.
She praised the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police and officers of the Force for their professionalism, support and active participation during the FATF assessment process.
Bakari described the Nigeria Police Force as a critical institution in detecting, investigating and prosecuting crimes with financial dimensions, including terrorism financing, kidnapping, cybercrime, corruption, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, illegal mining and arms trafficking.
She explained that financial intelligence has become the connecting thread behind virtually every organised criminal activity and emphasised that stronger collaboration between the NFIU and the Police is essential to deprive criminal groups of the financial resources that sustain their operations.
According to her, a recent stocktaking exercise conducted within the Nigeria Police Force revealed significant institutional strengths while identifying areas requiring further improvement ahead of Nigeria's forthcoming mutual evaluation.
She stressed the need to institutionalise knowledge of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and financial intelligence across all levels of policing, improve data collection and strengthen the operational use of financial intelligence.
Bakari assured the Nigeria Police Force of the NFIU's continued support through intelligence sharing, strategic analysis, operational assistance, specialised training and collaboration with international partners across more than 130 jurisdictions.
She expressed confidence that the enduring partnership between both institutions would further strengthen Nigeria's capacity to investigate, prosecute and disrupt illicit financial activities while reinforcing the country's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.
The visit underscored the shared commitment of the Nigeria Police Force and the NFIU to leveraging financial intelligence as a strategic tool in combating organised crime and safeguarding Nigeria's national security.
