Shari’ah Council asks EFCC to name religious bodies engaging in money laundering
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Publicly name religious bodies engaging in money laundering and sponsoring terrorists, without fear or favour, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede last week disclosed in Abuja that a religious body obtained a court order to stop the EFCC from investigating a N7 billion linked to terrorists as the agency was investigating a N13 billion fraud.
A statement jointly issued by SCSN President AbdulRasheed Hadiyahtullah and Secretary Nafi’u Ahmed demanded proper legal action against those found complicit in financing activities undermining national security.
“Regarding the recent disclosure by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about religious groups sponsoring insurgency in Nigeria, the Council demands the Commission to disclose the identity of the religious body allegedly sponsoring terrorism/insurgency with N7 billion out of N13 billion traced to its account,” the statement said.
“This revelation has sent shock waves across the nation, raising concerns about potential fund misuse for activities threatening Nigeria’s peace and security.
“The gravity of the situation calls for immediate public clarification of the group and decisive action to address the disturbing nexus between religious groups and insurgency.
“Accordingly, we urgently call upon the EFCC to publish the list of all sponsors involved in criminal activities.
“The alleged disclosure of N7 billion linked to a religious group’s account is a matter of grave concern, and citizens demand proper legal action against sponsors and those found complicit in financing activities undermining the nation’s security.
“We further call on the EFCC to expedite the release of the list of sponsors and collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure prompt legal actions are taken.”
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Resolving escalated insecurity on the plateau
SCSN also sought a comprehensive and impartial and comprehensive approach to solving the security problem in Plateau.
“The total exclusion of Muslim representation in the security committee not only disregards the diverse fabric of the state (with at least 40 per cent Muslims) but also jeopardises the effectiveness of the committee in addressing the root causes of the ongoing conflicts.
“We urgently call for a reevaluation of the committee’s composition to ensure that it is truly representative of the entire population.
“The current imbalance not only undermines the principles of justice but also hinders the development of a united front against the challenges faced by the state.
“We, therefore, demand, as a right and in the interest of equity, the Governor to heed this call for justice and equitable representation, as his action is sending a disturbing message to the world and creating a recipe for compounding the crisis.”