NFIU To Politicians: Stop Pressuring Us To Release Information

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) says there have
been attempts by politicians and senior government officials to
“introduce politics and illegal pressure” to extract information
from the unit.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ahmed Dikko, NFIU spokesperson,
said the unit has guidelines with which it operates.

Dikko said the agency does not release information “for
administrative, civil and business reasons or requests”.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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.”

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) says there have
been attempts by politicians and senior government officials to
“introduce politics and illegal pressure” to extract information
from the unit.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ahmed Dikko, NFIU spokesperson,
said the unit has guidelines with which it operates.

Dikko said the agency does not release information “for
administrative, civil and business reasons or requests”.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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.”