IGP, NFIU Deepen Alliance to Intensify Crackdown on Money Laundering, Terror Financing
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Riliwan Disu, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and other complex financial crimes, as both institutions pledged to deepen intelligence sharing and operational cooperation.
The commitment followed a courtesy visit by the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hajia Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where discussions centred on institutionalising strategic collaboration, enhancing financial intelligence exchange and improving the capacity of law enforcement agencies to tackle financial crimes.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the Nigeria Police Force and signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on 29 July 2026.
Receiving the NFIU delegation, IGP Disu described the partnership between the Police and the financial intelligence agency as critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic and national security.
He stressed that specialised police formations, particularly the Force’s Anti-Money Laundering Unit, play a pivotal role in investigating financial crimes, terrorism financing, banditry and other transnational offences.
The police chief also called for sustained technical support from the NFIU, especially in the areas of advanced training, intelligence sharing and access to modern investigative tools.
“Anti-money laundering is a highly technical field. We need continuous advanced training for specialised police personnel, as well as timely access to actionable financial intelligence and modern investigative tools to improve investigations and secure more convictions,” Disu said.
Earlier, NFIU Director Hajia Bakari described the relationship between both institutions as indispensable to Nigeria’s security architecture, noting that effective collaboration would be crucial ahead of the country’s 2027 Mutual Evaluation, which will assess Nigeria’s compliance with international standards on combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
According to her, the evaluation will examine how effectively the Nigeria Police Force utilises intelligence generated by the NFIU to dismantle criminal financial networks and prosecute offenders.
She commended the Inspector-General for approving a joint stock-taking exercise between both agencies, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening institutional cooperation.
Bakari also advocated wider awareness of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) across police commands and formations nationwide.
“Our focus should be on institutionalised excellence rather than isolated successes. We must deepen collaboration and ensure that AML/CFT awareness permeates every level of policing,” she said.
The NFIU boss also conveyed condolences to the Nigeria Police Force over officers who recently lost their lives in the line of duty, while reaffirming the agency’s commitment to supporting the Force in tackling financial and organised crimes.
The NFIU delegation included the Chief of Staff, Mohammed Ahmed; General Counsel, Felix Obiamalu; Chief Operating Officer, Law Enforcement Agencies, Emmanuel Sotande; Chief Operating Officer, Information Security Systems, Abdulrahman Mustapha; Special Adviser on Operations, Douglas Egwuemi; and Special Adviser on Administration, Mustapha Awaisu.
The Nigeria Police Force said the renewed partnership underscores its determination to work closely with strategic institutions such as the NFIU to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen national integrity and reinforce public confidence in law enforcement.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to working with strategic partners such as the NFIU to enhance operational capacity, safeguard national integrity, and restore public trust in law enforcement,” the statement said.
