Delay tactics meant to wear each other out) and obtain advantage for their sides. This should be discouraged. There should be a judicial reform that will bring all criminal cases to an end within a specific period once trial begins, as obtains in some other countries.”
Aregbesola added that the Federal Fire Service (FFS) salvaged property worth N273.7 billion in the second quarter of 2022. He said the ministry was now putting together armed escorts to accompany fire-fighting trucks to fire scenes to deter touts, obtrusive and unhelpful onlookers at fire incident scenes, who sometimes make access to fire scenes difficult.
He said the armed fire escorts had now been authorised to shoot and kill touts that attack firemen and damage their trucks and equipment at fire scenes.
Intelligence Agencies, Others Vow to Contain Terror-financing
The Department of State Services (DSS), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and other agencies, yesterday, vowed to disrupt terrorists’ networks as part of measures to mitigate money laundering and terror-financing in the country.
The resolve was the highpoint of a two-day workshop held at the headquarters of the DSS in Abuja. The workshop was themed, “Terrorism Financing Risk (TFR) for Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism/Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF).”
The conference was organised for stakeholders from relevant law enforcement agencies and other regulatory and criminal justice sector agencies to brainstorm on the scourge of terrorism financing and money laundering.
In his opening remarks, Director-General of DSS, Mr. Yusuf Bichi, called for critical thinking by law enforcement agencies in order to achieve the desired results. Bichi called for strict application of anti-money laundering/countering financing terrorism measures.
Represented by Director, Training and Staff Development, Mr. Brown Ekwoaba, Bichi said, “The ever-changing nature and sophistication of threats makes it imperative for security operatives to be critical thinkers in order to fashion out better and efficient ways of tackle threats.
“Among the evolving global crimes is money laundering and terrorism financing, which require the development of a working national anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism policy.
“Nigeria, as a committed stakeholder, needs to contribute its quota in protecting the integrity and stability of the international financial system by terminating resources available to terrorists, as well as making it difficult for those engaged in crime to profit from their criminal activities, as stipulated by the Financial Action Task Force. This process requires countries to identify, assess and understand prevailing terrorist financing risks, with a view to mitigating it.”
He added that any nation striving for cohesion, like Nigeria, must effectively disrupt terrorist networks through the application of Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing Terrorism measures.
According to Bichi, “Through money laundering, criminal organisations and organised crime syndicates benefit from their illegal activities, with some utilising cross-border channels, such as drug and human trafficking, arms smuggling among others.
“With criminal elements perfecting concealment of origin of illicit funds, it behoves us that a strengthened anti-criminal response to money laundering activities will contribute to cutting off sources of finance, as well as countering the financial incentives, which drive the crime.”
