The Acting Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to protecting lives and property through stronger collaboration with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
Lawal made the pledge on Tuesday at a capacity-building workshop focused on awareness, intelligence gathering and institutional responses to emerging threats associated with illicit financial flows.
He was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Musibau Babatunde.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Media, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, the workshop was held at the Western Hall of the Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan.
The acting governor said the state had strengthened its partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to prevent humanitarian funding platforms and other financial channels from being exploited for terrorism financing and other criminal activities.
Lawal said the changing security situation in the South-West, particularly the recent rise in kidnapping cases, had made it necessary for stakeholders to adopt more robust measures against emerging and unconventional security threats.
According to him, “Criminal networks are increasingly deploying sophisticated methods to raise and move funds, including misuse of crowdfunding platforms, humanitarian interventions, NGOs, and informal financial systems.
“While humanitarian assistance remains critical to supporting vulnerable communities, there is a need for improved regulatory frameworks, proper documentation, and effective monitoring to ensure such platforms are not hijacked by individuals or groups with criminal intentions.
“Strengthening financial intelligence and enhancing coordination among government agencies will be pivotal in disrupting criminal networks.”
He urged representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to improve their knowledge of evolving terrorism financing methods and develop proactive approaches to ensure early detection and prevention.
The acting governor also called for the creation of dedicated desks across MDAs to promote intelligence sharing, track suspicious financial transactions and guarantee swift responses to emerging security threats.
The workshop brought together experts and stakeholders to share ideas and best practices on combating terrorism financing, improving institutional capacity and preventing legitimate humanitarian initiatives from being exploited for criminal purposes.
Among those present were the Commissioner for Energy, Prof Dahud Shangodoyin; Commissioner for Investment, Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Prof Solihu Adelabu; Commissioner for Works and Transport, Arch Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, as well as permanent secretaries, directors and other senior government officials.
