Emefiele, Malami, Buratai Deny Terrorism Financing Allegations, Say Claim Fabricated

Wale Igbintade

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Tukur Buratai (rtd), have all dismissed insinuations that they are connected to terrorism financing.

While Emefiele described the allegation as reckless, mischievous, and entirely fabricated, Malami said it was baseless, misleading, and politically motivated, and Buratai said it was fabricated.

An online news platform had on Friday mentioned the names of the trio in connection with allegations of terrorism financing and “links” to persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers.

In a statement, Emefiele said the report was designed to malign his name and mislead the public.

He insisted that he had never, whether in office or in his private life, engaged in any activity remotely connected to terrorism or actions that could undermine national security.

“The allegation is baseless, misleading, and crafted purely to sow confusion for motives best known to its authors and their sponsors,” he said.

“The fight against terrorism is too important to be trivialised by irresponsible reporting, and Nigerians deserve better than such reckless misinformation,” the former CBN boss stated.

He maintained that “there is no scintilla of truth” in the report, stressing that it was the handiwork of “misguided elements driven by despicable motives.”

While urging the public to disregard the story in its entirety, Emefiele also cautioned media organisations against publishing unverified claims without evidence or due diligence.

Also, Malami, in his statement, described the claim as “unfounded, unfair and contrary to both my record in public office and objective facts.”

The AGF stressed that he had never been accused, invited, interrogated, or investigated by any security, law-enforcement, or intelligence agency within or outside Nigeria on terrorism financing or any related offence.

He said, “First, I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated, or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory, or intelligence agency, within or outside Nigeria, in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.

“Secondly, even the retired military officer cited as the principal source in the said publication categorically admitted that he was not accusing me, or other named individuals, of financing terrorism.

“His own account, as reported, was limited to a vague assertion that certain suspects allegedly had some form of ‘business’ or ‘institutional’ relationship with various persons.

“That critical clarification was, unfortunately, overshadowed by a headline and framing capable of misleading well-meaning members of the public into drawing inaccurate and damaging conclusions, which were unfortunately politically manipulated by my political opponents to create mischievous insinuations implying my involvement in terrorism financing.

“Terrorism financing is a grave crime with devastating consequences for national security and human life. Any attempt, whether by direct allegation or indirect innuendo, to associate an individual with such an offence must be grounded in verifiable facts, due process, and lawful findings, not in conjecture, speculation, or guilt by association.

“To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust. For the avoidance of doubt, my public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing.”

He highlighted key reforms he spearheaded as Attorney-General, including the establishment of an independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Malami stated that these reforms, which improved coordination among agencies such as the NFIU, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and law-enforcement bodies, contributed to Nigeria’s eventual removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

He said, “During my tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I worked with other arms of government and relevant institutions to strengthen, not weaken, Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”

The former AGF added that engagement with a wide range of individuals is a regular feature of public service and should not be misconstrued as evidence of wrongdoing.

He urged the media to exercise responsibility when reporting on national security matters, warning that careless publications could damage reputations and undermine confidence in state institutions.

Malami reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and Nigeria’s international obligations, noting that he reserves the right to seek redress over any publication that misrepresents his role in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.

On his part, Buratai, in a statement signed yesterday on his behalf by the former Army spokesperson, Brig.-General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), said the insinuation was also inconsistent with facts, and fundamentally at odds with his values and lifelong commitment to defending the country against terrorism.

Buratai, who is also a former Ambassador to the Benin Republic, described such allegations as “false, unfounded, mischievous, and amount to a smear campaign deliberately designed to tarnish his name and reputation.”

It said: “At no point in his distinguished career has he ever been questioned, investigated, indicted, or associated with any such matter by any official body or authority. No security institution, intelligence agency, judicial panel, diplomatic mission, oversight mechanism, or administrative body has ever linked him with terrorism financing in any form.

“The narrative being circulated by Sahara Reporters, relying solely on the unverified personal claims of Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi (rtd), is therefore a clear misrepresentation borne out of malice and lacks any factual or legal foundation.”

The statement stated that it was “regrettable, though unsurprising,” that the online publication had once again attempted to drag the precious name into disrepute, a pattern he said it has repeatedly pursued over the years, albeit unsuccessfully.

“Each attempt has failed because his record remains forthright, transparent, and distinguished by honourable service to the nation,” it said.

The statement said that for over four decades, General Buratai served the country with “honour, courage and steadfast commitment” to defeating terrorism, emphasising that under his leadership, the Nigerian Army significantly degraded Boko Haram and ISWAP, recovered previously occupied territories, restored civil administration, and returned displaced Nigerians to their homes.

“It defies logic and conscience to suggest that the same person who led decisive actions against terrorism would in any way be associated with the very elements he spent his career confronting,” it said.

The statement, therefore, called on the online news platform and Major General Ali-Keffi (rtd) to immediately retract their publication and tender an unreserved public apology to General Buratai.

“Failure to do so will leave us with no option but to initiate appropriate legal proceedings to protect his reputation and seek redress for this malicious attack,” it said.