- The federal government has begun the profiling of NGOs with the intention of deregistering those involved in questionable activities
- NFIU’s director Francis Usani said the measure was aimed at curbing money laundering and terrorist financing
- Usani the government is going to continue the profiling to see NGOs which are committed to their main cause and those that are not committed to any cause
The federal government of Nigeria has begun the profiling of about 100 non-governmental organisations, with the aim of de-registering those of them that have “deviated” from their mandate.
The Nation reports that the director of Nigerian financial intelligence unit Francis Usani made this known in Abuja on Wednesday, April 4, that the profiling was necessary in view of emerging threat of “non-profit organisations” being used as “veritable tools to launder money and finance terrorism” in Nigeria and other West African countries.
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Usani spoke at the opening ceremony of the inter-governmental action group against money laundering in west Africa’s (also known as GIABA) three-day ‘regional workshop on the development of effective frameworks and structure to fight money laundering and terrorist financing through non-profit organisation’.
Usani, who doubles as the GIABA national correspondent for Nigeria, explained that the profiling and other measures recommended by the FATF to tackle terrorist financing was in line with international best practices and not meant to stifle NGOs’ operations nor put them out of business.
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He said: ''The profiling is going to be a continuous exercise. We are going to continue the profiling to see NGOs which are committed to their main cause and those that are not committed to any cause. They will be probably delisted or their registration will be withdrawn.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the Nigerian government warned that the continued existence of nuclear weapons remains a threat to all mankind.
It stated this in its statement to the general debate of the 2018 substantive session of the UN disarmament commission by Faisal Ibrahim, first secretary, permanent mission of Nigeria to the UN.
The statement read: ''The cost of maintenance and modernisation of these weapons are both outrageous and inexcusable, when compared to resources allocated by states for more useful and productive ventures.''
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Source: Naija.ng