The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed police officers across Nigeria to forward cases involving terrorism financing, banditry and other financial crimes to specialised units. He gave the directive on Tuesday during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. The move is part of efforts to improve intelligence-led policing and strengthen the fight against organised crime.
Disu said criminal activities have become more complex, with illegal funds moving across borders within a short time. He explained that financial intelligence has become an important tool for tracking criminal networks, identifying those behind illicit transactions and disrupting their operations before they expand.
The police chief said stronger cooperation between the Nigeria Police Force and the NFIU would improve efforts to tackle terrorism, banditry, crude oil theft and other organised crimes. He noted that tracing the financial proceeds of criminal activities could help security agencies reduce crime and expose those funding illegal operations.
As part of the new strategy, the Inspector-General announced that the Force has created a Proceeds of Crime Section headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police with experience in financial crime investigations. He said the unit would focus on investigating money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial offences while strengthening the police’s role in Nigeria’s anti-money laundering system.
Disu also appealed to the NFIU to increase training opportunities for police officers, particularly in financial intelligence, asset tracing and tracking suspicious financial transactions. According to him, better training and closer intelligence sharing between both agencies would improve investigations and help security agencies respond more effectively to financial crimes.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, described the Nigeria Police Force as a key partner in the country’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. She said financial intelligence now plays a major role in investigating crimes such as kidnapping, cybercrime, corruption, human trafficking, illegal mining, arms trafficking and narcotics offences.
Bakari also praised the police for their contribution to Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list. She called for sustained collaboration between both institutions ahead of the country’s 2027 mutual evaluation, adding that the NFIU would continue supporting the police through intelligence sharing, operational support, strategic analysis and capacity building.