The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, has urged closer cooperation between the financial sector and security agencies to disrupt the funding lifelines of terrorism.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, January 15, 2026, during a visit by participants of the Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Regional Security Course One (CFTRSC1) from the Nigerian Defence College, Bakari stressed that money remains one of the strongest enablers of terrorism. She emphasised that cutting off these financial flows requires collective effort and the sharing of intelligence among banks, fintechs, money service businesses, and other financial and non-financial institutions.
Represented by Mohammed Abdurahman, Chief Operating Officer of the Intelligence and Security Services Support Sector, the NFIU reaffirmed its partnership with the Defence College and commitment to sustained collaboration in countering terrorism and arms proliferation, particularly across the Sahel region.
Delivering a presentation on behalf of the NFIU, Ibrahim Ditse, Head of Counter Financing of Terrorism, described the Sahel as a major hotspot of jihadist violence. He noted that terror threats are increasingly cross-border and evolving, requiring Nigeria’s response to be intelligence-driven, collaborative, and coordinated both regionally and globally.
Commending the NFIU’s efforts, Dr Adam Abdullahi, Course Director of the CFT programme at the Defence College, praised Bakari’s leadership as purpose-driven and results-oriented. He highlighted that the NDC–NFIU partnership is deploying a “high-tech offensive” against terrorist financing.
The engagement brought together participants from Nigeria’s security architecture and key financial sector stakeholders, reinforcing the need for unified action to safeguard national and regional security.
