The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has called on the Oyo State Government to pass a registration law for non-profit organisations to prevent the sector from being used to finance terrorism.
EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede made the charge through Assistant Commander of EFCC Ibinabo Amachree, Lagos Zonal Coordinator for the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering and team lead for the 2026 National Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment for the non-profit sector in the South-West. The call came during a three-day risk assessment exercise that began on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, in Ibadan.
Olukoyede said such a law would impose regulatory requirements and monitoring mechanisms on NPOs so the sector cannot serve as a conduit for terrorism financing in Oyo State or Nigeria. He stressed the need for stringent registration, monitoring and supervision to stop the diversion of humanitarian aid and donations, citing recent kidnappings across the South-West as making the assessment particularly urgent.
The exercise focused on data collection and engagement with Oyo State ministries, departments and agencies, security agencies and non-governmental organisations. It examined threats, vulnerabilities and unintended consequences in the NPO sector and the need to remain resilient against terrorist networks in the region.
Oyo State Acting Governor Barrister Bayo Lawal, represented by Secretary to the State Government Professor Musibau Babatunde, assured the EFCC of continued support. He noted that terrorist elements are increasingly exploiting crowdfunding, humanitarian interventions and informal financial channels to raise and move funds, and said the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde would take necessary steps to ensure NPOs are not exploited for terrorism financing.
Department of State Services Oyo State Command Director Usman Biu acknowledged the exercise’s importance and said the command would continue working with the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, which engages NPOs. He added that lists of registered NGOs forwarded to the command are profiled, vetted and cleared before operations begin.
The General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army, General Auwalu Mahnuda, represented by Chief of Staff Brigadier General M.I. Falana, thanked the EFCC for involving stakeholders and said the military would continue providing timely information to expose any terrorism financing in the state and beyond.
On Thursday, September 3, 2026, NPOs from Lagos, Osun and Oyo States were sensitised on compliance with existing policies, protecting their resources from misuse and maintaining public trust in legitimate charitable activities.
Olukoyede commended the Oyo State Government, the DSS and the army for their support. He urged NPOs to keep complementing government efforts in providing social amenities, humanitarian aid, support for vulnerable populations and healthcare, and to adopt measures that shield their activities from terrorism financing. He also assured stakeholders of the EFCC’s continued support in tackling the problem.
The assessment team was drawn from the EFCC, international and local non-governmental organisations, and state and federal ministries, departments and agencies. The exercise is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to risk-based supervision and alignment with international standards on combating terrorist financing.
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