NFIU Say No To Sudden Requests For Information By Politicians & Senior Government Officials

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has issued a public notice and advisory to lawmakers and high government officials in response to an increase in demands for information from the agency, as well as illegal pressure.

According to a statement by Chief Media Analyst Ahmed Dikko, it has become vital to educate and inform people that government intelligence institutions are normally apolitical and operate on a definite and specific mandate.

He added that the agency was founded on worldwide best practices to facilitate local and international criminal analysis and intelligence gathering.

The law that established the agency, according to Dikko, allows it to share information with law enforcement, regulatory, defense, and security agencies from over 170 nations, who are also co-owners and co-controllers of all FIUs’ intelligence and compliance processes.

He cautioned that the agency does not divulge information or respond to requests for administrative, civil, or business reasons.

The statement reads: ‘We are forced to react to attempts to introduce politics, illegal pressure on and inordinate requests for information from the NFIU.

‘We had to appropriately enlighten all calibre of officers in this category to know that Intelligence Institutions of government are generally apolitical, operating within fixed and tailored mandate.

‘The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit is also an agency created at the heart of global best practice to support crime analysis and Intelligence building locally and internationally.

‘For future and records, our laws and standards permit us to share information with Law enforcement, Regulatory, Defence and Security and corresponding agencies in over 170 countries who are also co-owners and co-controllers of Intelligence and compliance processes at all FIUs.

‘Additionally and categorically we do not release information for administrative, civil and business reasons or requests.

‘Equally, we will always respond to any attempt or an inkling of it to bring or introduce or incline local and international politics to our operations.

‘FIUs are also consistently reviewed mutually.

‘So, even for our staff, there are repeated warnings. Influence peddling or mediocrity can substitute professional conduct or personal character. Any Officer, whose conducts do not meet FIU best practices will always be responded to within the law.’