By News Desk
Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria’s Interior Minister says the federal government has identified 100 high-risk financiers of Boko Haram terrorist group.
Aregbesola said the financiers have links to at least 10 countries of the world.
Aregbesola made the disclosure at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing, with the theme, “No Money for Terror”, which took place in India.
The minister, who disclosed this in a statement by his aide, Abdulmalik Suleiman, yesterday, said: “The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, has played a significant role, in supporting all our intelligence, security, and military services.
”The unique ability of the NFIU to work with counterparts in the region and across the world, particularly through the framework of the Egmont Group of FIUs, is a key asset for our country.
”In particular, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss some recent results achieved with the support of our partners. In 2019, the NFIU commenced an in-depth analysis of the financing of the Boko Haram group.
”This analysis, which took almost 18 months to complete, resulted in the identification of almost 100 high-risk financiers and identified links to 10 different countries.
“The NFIU was able to build a thorough picture of the transnational sources of the group’s finance, using intelligence from several countries, including our immediate neighbours, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Togo.
”Ultimately, the results of the analysis resulted in the arrest of 48 of the financiers and the ongoing prosecution of a number of them.”
Aregbesola also canvassed for improved welfare for Nigerians living, studying or seeking business opportunities in India.
He made a four-point demand from the Indian government for an improved well being of Nigerians living in that country.
Aregbesola, who also advocated a change in Indian visa policy for Nigerian students, added:
“This is to allow Nigerian students have visa for study programs and not on six monthly basis which is burdensome in cost and time.’
He equally canvassed granting of special visa for Nigerian businessmen and women to facilitate trade between the two nations.
He urged the Indian government to, as a matter of urgency, reciprocate Visa on Arrival policy for Nigerians visiting India.
