The Federal Government has revealed that over 730 individuals have been convicted for terrorism-related offences, as part of its intensified efforts to exit the terror financing watchlist.

The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this at the on-site meeting of the Financial Action Task Force in Abuja, on Monday.

The task force is on the inspection of facilities in place to combat terrorism financing and dismantle illicit financial networks, ahead of the visit of the FAFT team.

Speaking during the meeting, Maj.-Gen. Laka said more than 90 of the convictions were secured with direct support from the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, underscoring the success of inter-agency collaboration in tracking and disrupting financial networks that support terrorist groups.

He said, “Disrupting the financial lifelines of terrorist organisations is central to our national counterterrorism strategy.

“We remain firmly committed to this cause and deeply value our ongoing partnership with both domestic and international stakeholders, including the US Department of the Treasury.

“Our ability to prosecute over 730 terrorism-linked cases is a testament to the effectiveness of our coordinated national approach.

More than 90 convictions were secured with support from NFIU.”

He praised the collaborative efforts between the NFIU and other relevant agencies, which he said had significantly reduced the inflow of illicit funds into terror operations across the country.

The NCTC coordinator also commended the Joint Standard Investigation Committee on Terrorism Financing, describing its work as pivotal to enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to investigate and prosecute complex financial crimes.

The simulation exercise, according to Laka, was designed to evaluate Nigeria’s institutional preparedness and align strategies ahead of the FATF evaluation, which will determine whether Nigeria exits the organisation’s grey list.

“The strength of our collective preparation will determine the success of the upcoming FATF visit and, ultimately, Nigeria’s removal from the FATF Grey List,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of NFIU, Hajiya Hafsat Bakari, said impressive progress had been made towards completing all 19 action items on their action plans.

Bakari said the on-site exercise was an opportunity to demonstrate the progress made and the enduring commitment to an effective national FATF framework.

According to her, the global FATF network looks up to Nigeria, and the expectations are very high.

“The importance of this assessment is underscored by the size of the team coming to Nigeria. We will be hosting 11 reviewers covering all the immediate outcomes in our action plan.

“And considering the difficulty the FATF has previously had in finding reviewers to come to some of the countries in Africa, this is indeed quite a sign of confidence in Nigeria.

“I’m also delighted to inform you that, as a recognition of the excellent work we have all done and our regional and global leadership, the FATF has invited Nigeria to join as a guest member.

“This essentially means that Nigeria will participate under its own flag in the discussions and projects of the FATF.

“While this does not mean a full member, it is nonetheless a further step on our journey to having a seat at the table and reaffirmation that we are on the right track,” she said. (The PUNCH)

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