Probe NGOs Sympathising With Boko Haram, Group Urges EFCC, ICPC

A group, the Public Accountability Network (PAN), has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) covertly undermining the country's fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

The Executive Director of the group, Mark Atawodi, made the call while addressing a press conference at the weekend in Abuja, following the military's allegation against a global humanitarian organisation, Action Against Hunger, which it accused of allegedly secretly aiding and abetting terrorists by supplying them food and drugs.

The group was of the opinion that there could be more secret terrorist sympathisers disguising as NGOs, urging the army to conduct an audit to ascertain their authenticity.

Against this background, the group therefore urged the army to work with the EFFC, ICPC and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to trace the sources of finance of these NGOs.

The group noted that the confirmation by the Nigerian Army that the NGO was aiding and abetting terrorists did not come to it as a surprise, noting that it  had in the past raised concerns about the surreptitious activities of some ‘unscrupulous’ groups hiding behind their international status or affiliation to commit crimes in Nigeria.

It alleged that with Action Against Hunger being found out, its other accomplices have by now gone underground since they would be making frantic effort to conceal their illicit activities.

The group stated that "the Nigerian army must similarly leverage the special skills available in the 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 country.

"Even some local NGOs are complicit of running errands financed by such questionable funds that allowed them to operate as proxies and franchises for the larger saboteurs."

PAN said the ban on any group found to have been collaborating with Boko Haram won't be enough, urging the  government to go the extra length to put indicted organisations and their managers on trial with a view to securing the stiffest punishment possible to deter those that have the intention of supporting Boko Haram and ISWAP to remain persistent threat to Nigerians.