The Nigerian Army and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have pledged to strengthen cooperation aimed at identifying, tracing and blocking financial networks suspected of funding terrorism and other criminal activities.
The commitment was made when the Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 23 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Adamu Abdul, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the ICPC Adamawa State Command.
Gen Abdul said disrupting the financial channels that sustain terrorist groups was essential to weakening their operations, stressing that security agencies must look beyond fighters and their operational bases to the networks that provide them with money and logistics.
He called for financial loopholes and clandestine channels used to fund criminal and terrorist activities to be identified and blocked, while urging closer intelligence sharing and financial investigations between the Army and ICPC.
The commander identified Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and kidnapping among the security threats requiring greater attention to their financial and logistical networks.
Responding, the ICPC Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Okoro Ulu James, said the commission was ready to deepen its collaboration with the military within its mandate.
Mr James said the two institutions had previously worked together through personnel training and information sharing, adding that stronger cooperation between anti-corruption and security agencies remained important in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
