By Peter Omopo
Abuja, July 25, 2025 — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have ramped up efforts to dismantle terrorist funding networks following a recent bust in Plateau State where troops rejected a ₦13.7 million bribe during a security operation.
Troops of Operation Safe Haven made the arrest on July 9, 2025, after intercepting a bullet-ridden vehicle along the Jos–Sanga Road. Two suspects were apprehended as they allegedly attempted to bribe the soldiers with ₦13,742,000 in cash to secure their release.
At a press briefing in Abuja, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, confirmed the arrest and recovery of weapons, ammunition, a vehicle, and the cash. He commended the troops for their integrity and professionalism in rejecting the bribe.
“Our gallant troops intercepted a suspicious vehicle riddled with bullet holes. The suspects tried to induce the soldiers with cash, but our men stood their ground. Two individuals were arrested and the sum of ₦13.7 million recovered,” Kangye stated.
In response to the incident, the NFIU spokesperson, Sani Tukur, told journalists that the development reflects the growing impact of intelligence-driven financial surveillance in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
“This is evidence that our efforts to block financial access to terror networks are working,” Tukur said. “Many suspected accounts have already been frozen. What we’ve blocked is far more than what was intercepted here.”
He added that the NFIU is constantly updating its financial crime detection tools, including new typologies designed to track, flag, and block suspicious transactions linked to terror groups.
Similarly, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale reiterated the agency’s commitment to enforcing the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, which empowers law enforcement to freeze accounts suspected of funding terrorism.
“Once an account is flagged, we promptly issue a ‘Post No Debit’ order and begin investigations. We are actively disrupting the financial lifelines of terrorists through the legal framework and intelligence coordination,” Oyewale stated.
The interception in Plateau is the latest in a series of coordinated efforts by security forces and financial crime agencies to stem the tide of terror financing, which remains a major driver of violence and instability across parts of Nigeria.
Authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with the recovered cash and materials now in military custody.
