Nigeria Urges AU To Target Illicit Funds Fueling Terrorism Across Africa
Nigeria has warned that Africa’s fight against terrorism will remain difficult unless governments dismantle the illicit financial networks that bankroll extremist groups, describing dirty money as a key driver of recruitment, weapons procurement and expanding terrorist operations across the continent.
Speaking at the 1354th Ministerial Meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, called for stronger international cooperation to trace, recover and return illicit financial flows to their countries of origin.
She said terrorist groups were increasingly adapting to military operations by exploiting new technologies, including drones, while generating income through kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining activities.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international partnerships, highlighting the country’s combined military and non-military approach to tackling terrorism through intelligence sharing, border security, deradicalisation programmes, youth empowerment and community engagement.
The minister also urged international partners to adopt zero tolerance for terrorism by preventing non-state actors from accessing arms, drones and other sophisticated technologies used to fuel attacks across Africa.
She further cautioned against portraying Africa as the global epicentre of terrorism, warning that such narratives could lead to the unfair profiling and mistreatment of innocent Africans abroad.
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