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The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“That gave rise to a wider and far-reaching investigation in Nigeria and I am happy to report that arising from the wider coverage investigation that has been conducted in Nigeria, a number of people, both institutional and otherwise, were found to be culpable.

I mean reasonable grounds for suspicion of terrorism financing have been established, or perhaps have been proven to be in existence in respect of the transactions of certain high-profile individuals and businessmen across the country.

“I am happy to report that investigation has been ongoing for long and it has reached an advanced stage.

Arising from the investigation, there exists, certainly, reasonable grounds for suspicion that a lot of Nigerians, high-profile, institutional, and otherwise, are involved in terrorism financing and they are being profiled for prosecution.

“In essence, it is indeed true that the government is prosecuting and it is indeed initiating processes of prosecuting those high-profile individuals that are found to be financing terrorism. It is indeed true.”

He said, “As to the number, an investigation is ongoing and it has to be conclusive before one can arrive at a certain number, but one thing I can tell you is it is a large number and they are being profiled for prosecution.

It is indeed a large number and I am not in a position to give you the precise number as of now because the profiling and investigation are ongoing.”

“The message is clear: nobody is going to be spared, no stone will be left unturned. We shall certainly and aggressively pursue those people that are involved in terrorist financing as far as the Nigerian state is concerned,” he declared.

Punch

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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, lamented that some individuals are “mercilessly” against Nigeria.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke during the 6th regular meeting with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council led by Prof Doyin Salami at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Adesina, in the statement titled ‘We’ll develop our irrigation facilities more, President Buhari assures,’ said the PEAC noted that security challenges were having great repercussions on the economy.

He said the President then charged leadership at every level to go back to the basics, noting that a bottom-up approach was necessary, from ward to local council, states, and federal.

He further quoted Buhari as decrying the situation in which some unscrupulous people tried to undermine every policy of the government, irrespective of the good it was meant to achieve for the country.

He quoted the President as saying that, “Some people are mercilessly against this country.

“We closed the borders to control the smuggling of petroleum products, and check the influx of smuggled goods, arms and ammunition. That was when the Comptroller General of Customs called me, saying 40 tankers laden with petrol had been impounded. I told him to sell the fuel, sell the trucks, and put the money in the treasury.

They still brought arms and ammunition into the country, brought in rice in vehicles and motorcycles. I said shoot anyone found illegally with AK-47, yet they haven’t stopped. People must show consideration for their own country.”

Punch

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The governor said this during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group.

The event which was tagged: ‘Developing a Viable Nation 2’ was hosted by Pastor of Trinity House Church, Ituah Ighodalo.

Responding to a question on his refusal to negotiate with bandits, the governor said, “Two days after the abduction of the Afaka young people, I was assured by the air force and the army that they knew where the kidnappers were with the students and they had encircled (them).

We were going to attack them. We would lose a few students but we would kill all the bandits and we would recover some of the students. That was our plan. That was the plan of the air force and the army… But they slipped through the cordon of the army. That is why they were not attacked.

“We know it is risky, we know in the process we may lose some of the abductees but it is a price we have to pay. This is war, there will always be collateral damage in war and we will rather do that than pay money because paying money has not solved the problem anywhere in the world.”

El-Rufai admitted that he had “lost weight” over the insecurity in Kaduna State which was giving him sleepless nights.

Punch

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed  said this at a press conference in Abuja.

He was responding to statements credited to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on the security challenges facing the country.

The minister said, “The PDP alleged that kidnappers and bandits are not being brought to justice. This is
apparently aimed at the Federal Government.

“It is shocking that a party that ruled this nation for all of 16 years does not know that kidnapping and banditry are not federal offences.

“The PDP should therefore call out the states, including those being controlled by it, to ensure a rigorous prosecution of arrested kidnappers and bandits.

“Meanwhile, PDP conveniently forgot that as far as terrorism, a federal offence, is concerned, this Federal Government has successfully prosecuted thousands of Boko Haram members in Kainji, as part of a continuing exercise. We are now seeking the cooperation of the judiciary to continue with the trial of arrested terrorists.”

Punch