In a bid to end financial crimes and other threats to internal security in Nigeria, the Federal Government has expressed its commitment to meeting the global standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this on Friday in Abuja when the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Mr. Modibbo Hamman Tukur visited him.
He promised to ensure that the ministry, the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, performed optimally in order to meet their obligations as members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing.
“I assure you of my commitment to ensure that appropriate strategies are put in place to meet the global standards for combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing”, Aregbesola said.
He added that if terrorism financing was arrested in Nigeria, the confidence of foreign investors would be boosted and also enhance socio-economic activities for the benefit of Nigerians.
The Minister commended the NFIU for its roles, with regards to coordinating national legal, regulatory and operational frameworks for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, threats to the integrity of the international financial system and maintenance of internal security,
Speaking earlier, Tukur said his team was at the ministry in recognition of its importance as one of the three key ministries that have strategic roles to play in combating the challenges of money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation of arms.
He list other ministries key to NFIU’s success as the Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget & National Planning as well as Justice.
Hamman also briefed the Minister on the forthcoming mutual evaluation exercise by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa.
