The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has established the Police Anti-Money Laundering Units of the Nigeria Police Force.
This was as he appointed a renowned financial expert, CP Hyacinth Azuka Edozie, with officers of the rank of Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) to lead the units in all State Criminal Investigation Departments (SCIDs) across the country.
According to a statement by the Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the initiative is a strategic move to strengthen the police’s role in national security, specifically in combating financial crimes.
Adejobi said the initiative is also critical in countering the sophisticated methods used by terrorist organisations and other criminal entities to finance their activities.
“The establishment underscores the Force’s commitment to safeguarding national security by preventing and detecting illicit financial activities that could undermine the country’s stability. It also enhances the operational capacity of law enforcement agencies, especially the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in furtherance of its global oversight functions, to address various security threats,” he said.
The spokesman also revealed the significant arrests made by the police in Kano and Nasarawa states.
He said on December 8, 2024, at Gwale, Kano, operatives, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended one Nura Ibrahim and discovered counterfeit currency, which included the sum of N129,542,823,000 in counterfeit currencies, with a breakdown of 3,366,000 in counterfeit US dollars, 51,970 in counterfeit CFA franc, and 1,443,000 in counterfeit naira.
He said the arrest led to further arrests of accomplices Muhammed Muntari and Usman Abdullahi.
Similarly, on January 13, 2025, the police arrested 53-year-old Ephraim Barde in New Karu, Nasarawa State, with counterfeit U.S. dollar notes totalling $160,000.
“Following the arrest, further investigations are underway to determine the full scope of Barde’s involvement and identify any accomplices. The Police are committed to preventing further threats to the nation’s financial system,” Adejobi said.
