The police on Monday said it arrested 1,088 suspects, secured 152 convictions, and recovered a total of $11,450,000 and ?142,261,254,228.80 in its fight against terrorism financing and money laundering.

According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, this is part of efforts to get Nigeria off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

To get the country out of the spot it entered in 2023, Adejobi said the force established specialized units such as the Special Anti-Fraud Unit (SFU), the National Cybercrime Centre, and the newly launched Anti-Money Laundering Unit.

He said the National Cybercrime Centre, in particular, has been pivotal in addressing digital financial crimes, leading to the arrest of 751 cybercrime suspects and extensive recoveries amounting to ?8,821,001,881.80, $84,000, and 115,237.91 USDT.

He said a notable achievement includes Operation Butterfly Net, addressing a cyberattack on Flutterwave, which led to the arrest of 179 individuals involved in laundering over ?11 billion.

The spokesperson said the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Sections have bolstered the framework surrounding financial investigations.

?The training of over 2,000 officers across various units in money laundering and terrorism financing investigations is reflective of the force?s commitment to improving Nigeria?s global standing in combating financial crimes. With the submission of quarterly AML/CFT reports to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Nigeria?s ratings within the FATF regime have also significantly improved, indicating the effectiveness of these initiatives,? Adejobi said.

He said the force is committed to combating money laundering and terrorism financing to meet the international requirements set by the FATF.

?We urge all relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to collaborate in this critical effort of lifting Nigeria from the FATF grey list. While the fight against financial crime is far from over, the progress made by the force in investigations, arrests, and prosecutions demonstrates the determination to protect the integrity of Nigeria?s financial system and restore trust in our financial institutions. We assure the public and the international community that the Nigeria Police is taking all necessary steps to combat money laundering and terrorism financing,? he said. (The Guardian)

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