Nigeria’s efforts to fight jihadist teams danger being undermined by its on line casino sector, in keeping with a brand new report.
The West African state has been battling extremists in its northeast for the perfect a part of 20 years. And it’s redoubling efforts to chop off terrorism financing within the wake of a recent wave of assaults by the jihadist group Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWA).
However Nigeria’s 300 casinos might be contributing to the issue by enabling cash laundering, in keeping with West Africa’s monetary intelligence company, the Inter-Governmental Motion Group towards Cash Laundering (GIABA).
Excessive Threat
GIABA mentioned the casinos, based mostly primarily in Nigeria’s largest metropolis, Lagos, and its capital, Abuja, had been “comparatively excessive danger” for cash laundering. Whereas they’re required to file suspicious transaction reviews (STRs) to the Nigerian Monetary Intelligence Unit (NFIU), most don’t.
GIABA steered {that a} lack of utilized sanctions for non-compliant operators contributed to the issue. The group additionally expressed concern that solely eight NFUI workers members oversaw the casinos out of greater than 200 workers.
Nigeria carried out its first nationwide danger evaluation (NRA) of cash laundering and terrorism in 2016. It had been anticipated to conduct one other this 12 months. However GIABA complained it had not been capable of uncover whether or not this had occurred.
The report, titled Cash Laundering Dangers of Casinos and the Playing Sector in West Africa, examined the six member nations of the Financial Group of West African States which have casinos: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cabo Verde, the Ivory Coast, and Benin.
However the variety of casinos in Nigeria dwarfs that of its neighbors, which have simply 26 between them.
Terror Assaults
Most terrorist assaults in Nigeria are carried out by Boko Haram or ISWA, a Boko Haram splinter group that has just lately turn into extra dominant.
These teams routinely goal humanitarian camps, safety forces, church buildings, colleges, mosques, authorities installations, instructional establishments, leisure venues, and highway vacationers, in keeping with the US State Division.
Roughly two million Nigerians have been displaced by the violence in Northeast Nigeria. In the meantime, greater than 300,000 youngsters have died within the battle, in keeping with Al Jazeera.
Most just lately, on July 5, ISWA gunmen bombed and attacked a jail within the Federal Capital Territory, facilitating the escape of an unknown variety of prisoners.
Boko Haram made headlines worldwide in 2014 when it attacked the Federal Authorities School of Buni Yadi, Yobe State, killing 59 boys. Two months later, the group kidnapped 276 women from a faculty in Borno State. Most had been pressured to transform to Islam and offered as baby brides.