By Miriam Humbe
The need to strengthen measures against the diversion of resources to terrorist groups has prompted closer collaboration between the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), and the National Technical Risk Assessment Committee on Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs).
Captain Mohammed Goni, the Acting Military Information Officer,
Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation KADIN KAI disclosed this in a statement signed on Wednesday.
The collaboration is aimed at identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities that could be exploited to finance terrorism in the North East.
This was made known by the Team Leader of the Committee, Mrs Ibinabo Amachree, during a visit to Headquarters Theatre Command, Operation HADIN KAI, on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, as part of the ongoing 2026 National Technical Risk Assessment of Non-Profit Organisations in Nigeria.
Mrs Amachree explained that the assessment builds on the findings of the 2022 National Risk Assessment and is being conducted ahead of Nigeria’s next international evaluation on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing.
She noted that the 2022 assessment identified the North East and North West as areas of elevated terrorism-financing risk, with vulnerabilities including non-compliance with established operational procedures, movement of large volumes of cash without adequate documentation and security arrangements, as well as the potential exploitation of humanitarian and service oriented organisations by terrorist groups.
Mrs Amachree further stated that the current assessment adopts a risk-based approach to identify NPOs that may be particularly vulnerable to abuse for terrorism-financing purposes.
She also disclosed that relevant agencies had developed measures to strengthen the monitoring of identified high risk organisations, including appropriate due diligence and vetting of personnel and vendors engaged by NPOs operating in vulnerable areas.
Responding, the Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, described terrorism financing as a critical enabler of terrorist activities and stressed the need to disrupt the financial lifelines that sustain terrorist organisations.
He reaffirmed that OPHK would continue to support legitimate humanitarian and non-profit activities while ensuring strict compliance with established security and operational procedures within the theatre.
The Theatre Commander, however, disclosed that the movement of cash and humanitarian supplies without adequate documentation, security coordination and escort remains a concern.
He therefore urged NPOs and humanitarian organisations to provide sufficient advance notice of planned movements to enable OPHK to coordinate security escorts, route protection and, where necessary, air support.
He also called for proper due diligence and security screening of local vendors and service providers contracted by humanitarian organisations.
Major General Abubakar recalled that OPHK recently hosted a Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Roundtable involving humanitarian actors and United Nations agencies, where challenges affecting humanitarian access, movement of personnel and delivery of supplies were discussed, with measures agreed to improve coordination.
Major General Abubakar assured the Committee of OPHK’s readiness to provide relevant operational information and other support required to enrich the 2026 National Technical Risk Assessment, subject to security and operational considerations.
He commended the Committee for the initiative and reaffirmed OPHK’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency cooperation to disrupt terrorism financing and deny terrorist groups access to financial and material resources.
He also urged legitimate NPOs operating in the North East to adhere strictly to established procedures, maintain close coordination with security authorities and promptly report suspicious activities or vulnerabilities that could be exploited by terrorist organisations.
