Out at last!

Finally, FG exposes suspected terrorism financiers

One giant step has been taken in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria with the naming and shaming of 48 individuals and 12 groups allegedly involved in financing the crime that has gripped the country since 2009. The Nigerian Sanctions Committee headed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, unveiled the list in Abuja and promised to update it periodically.

This is one thing that Nigerians have clamoured for over the years as one means of clamping down on the heinous crime that has also exposed the country to international ridicule. Those on the long-awaited list include groups like the Boko Haram, Islam State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Ansaru, among other deadly groups.

There are also firms masquerading as bureaux de change, but primarily serving as channels of funding the armed groups that have been killing and maiming Nigerian civilians and soldiers.

After a period of lull under the Bola Tinubu administration, activities of the terrorists have picked up again, drawing the attention of the international community, especially after the United States bombed locations in Sokoto State where they are said to be located, and threatened to cast its net wide on the grounds that Christians were being killed in the North Central states of Plateau and Benue.

When taken along with the recent conviction of 386 persons on terrorism charges, and ongoing prosecution of more than 100 others, it could be said that the government is taking positive steps to curb the menace.

It is also apparent that terror attacks in the South East have largely abated in recent times, thus giving the signal that the government has a plan that has the tendency to rid the country of the menace.

We commend the Tinubu administration for these steps taken, but equally note that much more still need to be done. The troops should be better equipped and their morale boosted. Also, the ongoing trial should be taken seriously as the Terrorism (Prevention and Prosecution) Act 2022 has spelt out.

The financial haemorrhage inflicted on the country by terrorism and the inexcusable loss of lives in the past 16 years must be curbed at all cost.

In this fight, all agencies and arms of government must get involved. The judiciary should look into the existing legal framework to expeditiously try cases brought before their lordships. If need be, the existing laws could be tweaked in the interest of all. The federal lawmakers have to work on gaps in the existing laws.

Finance is the oxygen for fuelling terror and other international crimes. It is gratifying to note that some bureaux de change have been identified and are being tried. There are obviously more and they have to be unveiled. Some slush funds have also passed through Nigerian and foreign banks. These, too, should be identified and their owners  punished according to the laws of the land.

When this is done, the confidence of Nigerians in the fight would be boosted. This is urgent in the interest of all Nigerians and our economy. The counter-terrorism unit of the Office of the National Security Adviser must step up its activities towards gathering sufficient credible intelligence to assist the fighting troops. This would necessitate teaming up with international security outfits, including the International Police and other countries.

Already, President Tinubu has announced that talks are at advanced stage with the United Kingdom, United States and France towards ensuring that this evil is stamped out in no time. The people of Kwara and Kogi states that were recently added to the list of troubled states, with people killed or kidnapped are awaiting the good news that things have been brought under control and peace has returned.

Farmers in the North West and North East states of Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Taraba and Yobe, many of whom have been herded into Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps would be glad to receive the news that they could return to their farms and feed their families without waiting for crumbs from state agencies.

What is the way forward? If lawmakers in far away Washington could organise productive conferences on the situation in our country, what are we doing as a people? The American investigations could have been planted on wrong premises, but it was so comprehensive, including officials from Abuja, that the initial threat of invading Nigeria “gun blazing” changed to cooperation and collaboration between both countries to defeat the enemies of mankind.

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Now, what next? Those who were recently unveiled should be prosecuted immediately so they could be served justice. The case of someone like Tukur Mamu that is already being heard in court should be concluded in time. Publisher of the ‘Desert Herald’, Mamu had presented himself as a friend of the state going to negotiate with the terrorists to set captives free. An associate of Islamic cleric Abubakar Gumi, security men later discovered that he might have done so for his benefit.

Another alleged financier identified is Simon Ekpa. Based in Finland, he founded a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and is credited with the death of many policemen serving in the South East, under the pretext of fighting for the creation of a sovereign state of Biafra.

While in so far away Finland, he declared that Mondays should be a free day when shops should not open, schools should be shut and commercial vehicles stay off the roads in the south east. Whoever flouted his order had the death penalty summarily applied by his goons. He is already serving term in Finland. Some of his local commanders, too, are on the new list.

As some experts have pointed out, unless all Nigerians begin to sing from the same hymn book, it would be difficult to win the terror war. Nothing -- political differences, regional and religious divergence -- should hinder the war against terrorism.