Tunde Bakare
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede has charged the Oyo State Government to enact a registration law empowering Non-profit Organisations, NPOs, in the state to tackle terrorism financing.
By enacting the law, the Commission says, regulatory requirements will be followed and proper monitoring mechanisms ensued to guide the operations and activities of the NPOs, such that the sector will not be used as conduit pipe for terrorism financing in Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
Olukoyede gave the charge through the Lagos Zonal Coordinator for Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, SCUML, of the EFCC and Team Lead for the 2026 National Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment delegation for the Non-profit Organisation Sector in South-West, Nigeria, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE 1 Ibinabo Amachree at a three-day Risk Assessment exercise that commenced on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The exercise, focused on collection of data and interactive engagement with the Oyo State ministries, departments and agencies, relevant security agencies and sensitization of non-governmental organisations highlighted the threats, vulnerabilities and unintended consequences within the NPO sector and the need to remain resilient against the spread of terrorist networks in the Southwest.
Olukoyede expressed an urgent need for a law that would ensure stringent registration, monitoring and supervision of NPOs activities to prevent the diversion of humanitarian aid and donations for terrorism financing, noting that the recent kidnapping occurrences across the Southwest region made the risk assessment exercise a vital necessity to tackle the emerging security threat.
While commending the Oyo State Government, the Director of Department of State Services, Oyo State Command, Usman Biu; and the representative of the General Officer Commanding , GOC, of 2 Division Nigerian Army in Ibadan, Brigadier General M.I. Falana for their support and cooperation towards the success of the risk assessment exercise, Olukoyede enjoined the NPOs to continue to support and complement Oyo State government’s efforts in providing basic essential social amenities, humanitarian aid, support vulnerable populations and healthcare services towards achieving effective economic growth in the State.
Furthermore, he urged the NPOs operating in the state to take advantage of the sensitization segment presented by the risk assessment exercise and adopt measures that would protect their activities and resources from being channeled towards terrorism financing. Also, he assured relevant stakeholders of the Commission’s unwavering support towards tackling terrorism financing head on in the country.
In his remarks, the Oyo State Acting Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal represented by the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde gave the assurance of the state’s continuous support to the EFCC and other relevant agencies conducting the National Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment exercise, noting that terrorist elements are increasingly exploiting crowdfunding, humanitarian interventions and informal financial channels to raise and move funds.
Babatunde stated the Oyo State Government under the administration of the Executive governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde will do the needful to ensure that NPOs are not exploited for terrorism financing in the State.
The Director of Department of State Services, Oyo State Command, Usman Biu acknowledged the significance of the exercise and pledged that the Command will continue to work with Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs saddled with the responsibility of engaging with the NPOs in the State, adding that, all forwarded lists of registered NGOs to the Command are profiled, vetted and cleared before they began operations as part of the DSS’s mandate.
In his remarks, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 2 Division Nigerian Army, General Auwalu Mahnuda, represented by the Chief of Staff to the GOC, Brigadier General M.I. Falana expressed appreciation to the EFCC for realizing that the anti-graft agency cannot combat terrorism financing alone, hence reaching out to the relevant stakeholders for their contributions.
He added that the Nigerian military will continue to provide adequate and timely information sharing that will expose any terrorism financing within Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
At the concluding part of the assessment exercise which took place in Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday, September 3, 2026, NPOs from Lagos. Osun and Oyo States converged and were duly sensitized on the need to comply with the existing policies guiding their activities in the state and to maintain public trust and confidence in the legitimate activities of charitable organizations.
The risk assessment exercise demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to risk-based supervision and reflects Nigeria’s resolve through the EFCC to remain aligned with international standards in combating terrorist financing.
The 2026 national risk assessment team was drawn from the EFCC, international non-governmental organizations, local non-governmental organisations and both state and federal MDAs across the country.