NFIU finds IPOB’s US and UK cells and $160,000 in payments.
The United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are among the 22 nations where the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has discovered 27 cells that are part of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
According to the NFIU, the US and the UK have the highest concentrations of these IPOB cells per nation, with seven and six IPOB cells active in each of these two regions, respectively.
Information about the development was made public in a newsletter that exposed how IPOB, bandits, and other terror organizations were using sports betting sites and international crowdsourcing to finance their operations in Nigeria.
In 2017, the Federal Government declared IPOB to be a terrorist organization and outlawed the self-determination group. The government is presently trying its leader, Nnmadi Kanu, on terrorism-related charges.
In the paper titled “Counter Terrorism Financial Newsletter,” the NFIU connected 54 people worldwide to the operation of IPOB.
According to the letter, the NFIU attested to the fact that IPOB adherents have dispersed throughout 22 different nations. Subsequent investigation revealed that the group has 27 registered entities worldwide. Of these, the US and the UK had the most, with seven and six registered entities, respectively.
“According to the investigation, the group has multiple bank accounts across multiple nations, where money is accepted from different donors under the headings “Monthly Dues, Services, and for ESN,” among others, and subsequently disbursed for diverse operations.
It was established that crowdfunding, primarily by Nigerians living outside, is one of the group’s main cash streams.
More than $160,000 was seen to have been paid to media, broadcasting, and transmission businesses in the UK, South Africa, and Bulgaria. The investigation included 53 additional people connected to the rebel organization along with the group’s commander, including his addresses and international mobile numbers. The report was sent to law enforcement so they could look into it more.
A betting site simply known as “XC” submitted a Suspicious Transaction Report on a 24-year-old Nigerian consumer from North-Central, Nigeria, the NFIU further disclosed.
“It is believed that the money in his betting wallet, which belonged to a 24-year-old Nigerian from the North-Central region, was ransom money from a kidnapping,” the NFIU stated.
In another instance, a terrorist trying to avoid detection was discovered by the financial intelligence team. It stated that the person used credit cards to buy airline tickets to high-risk locations and to make systematic cash withdrawals from several ATMs.
According to the NFIU, whenever the person went over his withdrawal limit, he would find other ways to get around.
The terrorist then made an attempt to make dubious payments totaling more than €1,000 to a nearby charity that might have ties to terrorism. The newsletter said, “These transactions raised red flags, along with others for luxury goods and escort services.”
The National Foreign Terrorism Investigative Unit (NFIU) called on law enforcement agencies to look into transactions involving people connected to known terrorists or financiers; unlawful tax collection or compelled donations in areas where terrorism is a concern; and Bureau de Change operators who facilitate transfers inside suspected networks.
The unit also requests that security agencies focus on the following areas: numerous cash deposits in bank accounts; large deposits made to point-of-sale operators followed by cash withdrawals; money transfers from Nigeria to high-risk nations; recruiting people to open numerous bank accounts; and financial transfers to charities associated with terrorism.
