Group urges EFCC, ICPC to probe sources of funds of NGOs in North East

The Public Accountability Network (PAN) on Sunday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to probe the activities of certain Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) frustrating the country’s fight against terror.

In lieu of this, the group tipped the anti-graft agencies to investigate the sources of the NGOs in the NorthEast.

This was stated in a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Mark Daniel Atawodi, on Sunday in Abuja.

In the statement, the group lamented “the abominable discovery that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are in the business of providing wholesale support to Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP).”

This plea came on the heels of the closedown of the Action Against Hunger by the Nigerian Army over allegations of helping insurgents by supplying them with foods and drugs.

Consequently, the Public Accountability Network reckons that there could be more secret terrorist sympathisers disguising as NGOs, hence the Army should conduct an audit to ascertain their authenticity.

Read also: Three children dead in ravaging flood in Delta communities

The group, therefore, urged the Army to work with the EFFC, ICPC and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to trace the sources of finances of NGOs.

“It is therefore critical at this stage that the Nigerian Army, working with sister security agencies, conduct an audit of NGOs working in areas plagued by Boko Haram insurgency. “The essence of this audit is to ascertain the authenticity of the statement of claim that each organisation made to gain access to the region.

“Violation of the terms on which they were accredited to the area would flag other mischief they have been up to.” Speaking on why the Nigerian Army should partner with anti-corruption agencies, notably the EFCC and ICPC, the statement advised; “The Nigerian Army must similarly leverage the special skills available in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the ICPC to trace the sources of finances of these NGOs.

“This is against the background that many of them are being financed by foreign interests that are obsessed with destroying Nigeria as a sovereign nation. According to PAN, there are some NGOs under the disguise of humanitarian mission which in reality are working to sabotage the military’s remarkable progress for their own selfish interest.

“Even some local NGOs are complicit of running errands financed from such questionable funds that allowed them to operate as proxies and franchises for the larger saboteurs.” However, PAN called on the Army to not only ban any group found to be collaborating with Boko Haram but indict them and their managers put on trial with a view to securing the stiffest punishment possible.

“We want to conclude by asking that ban of any group found to have been collaborating with Boko Haram is not enough.

“The government should go the extra length to put indicted organisations and their managers on trial with a view to securing the stiffest punishment possible deter those that have the intention of supporting Boko Haram and ISWAP to remain a persistent threat to Nigerians.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now