The police say they will strengthen collaboration with the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit in training and intelligence sharing to curb illicit financial flows in the country.

Police chief Olatunji Disu said this on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the NFIU led by its CEO, Hafsat Bakari.

Mr Disu said that there was a need for both organisations to collaborate more and share intelligence because of the security situation in the country.

He listed the security challenges to include terrorism, banditry, crude oil theft, among others.

“Following their proceeds will assist in bringing down the crime to nothing less than 50 per cent, and by extension curb a lot of their criminal activities.

“So we need to collaborate, and continue to see ourselves as symbolic twins. We have directed all our officers to direct cases they discover have to do with terrorism, banditry, and where monies have been circulated, to teams that specialise in handling such,” he said.

Mr Disu also said that the force had established the Proceeds of Crime Section, which is headed by a deputy police commissioner with vast experience and expertise in financial crime.

He said this was with a view to strengthening counter-terrorism financing. According to him, we have contributed to national and international compliance by obligation.

The NFIU boss said the visit was an opportunity to reaffirm a partnership that was fundamental to Nigeria’s national security, economic stability and international standing.

She said that the NPF had remained one of the key partners of the NFIU within Nigeria’s anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and counter-proliferation financing framework.

Ms Abubakar said that the police had served not only as a first responder to criminal activity, but also as a critical actor in the detection, investigation, prosecution and disruption of the financial dimensions of crime.

According to her, financial intelligence has increasingly become the thread that connects criminal conduct to those who profit from all forms of criminal activities.

She commended the NPF for supporting the FIU to interact with the Financial Action Task Force during their assessment visit to Nigeria.

Ms Abubakar said the conduct, activities, support and the expertise of personnel of the force led to the successful completion of the NFIU action plan.

(NAN)