The Nigerian government is ramping up its campaign against terrorism by announcing plans to publicly reveal the identities of those financing extremist activities, a move that could reshape the country’s approach to national security and international cooperation. The announcement, made on December 1, 2025, by Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, signals a new phase in the government’s battle against the networks fueling violence, banditry, and organized crime across the nation.
"The government is making decisive interventions. In the coming days, Nigerians will know who the terrorists are and those funding them," Bwala stated during a televised interview on Television Continental (TVC), as reported by Persecondnews and The ICIR. He emphasized that the Tinubu administration is taking "far-reaching decisions" on national security that will soon become apparent to the public. According to Bwala, these actions are not only about targeting the armed elements of extremist groups but also about exposing and dismantling the financial and logistical networks that sustain them.
Nigeria, a nation of approximately 230 million people, has been battered by waves of violence in recent years. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), over 20,000 people have lost their lives since 2020 in attacks linked to terrorism, banditry, and ethnic clashes. While many incidents are not religiously motivated, the persistent insecurity has heightened fears nationwide and drawn international scrutiny.
The government’s renewed pledge to expose terrorism financiers is not the first of its kind this year. Back in August, former Chief of Defence Staff General Musa made a similar commitment, though he pointed out the legal and cross-border challenges involved. “It has to do with a lot of legal issues, and because again, it has to do with international connections. Some of them have funds coming from outside; we cannot do anything from within,” Musa explained at the time. This highlights the complexity of tracing and prosecuting financial networks that often span multiple countries and use sophisticated methods to evade detection.
What’s changed now? Bwala’s latest comments suggest the Tinubu administration is ready to push through these obstacles with the help of new technology and stronger international alliances. He pointed to the evolution of terrorism into a cross-border threat and the growing recognition among global powers of the need to support nations like Nigeria in dismantling terrorist networks. “Since the events of 9/11, terrorism has been treated as a global security issue. Any nation where terrorists operate becomes a concern to the rest of the world,” Bwala said. He added, “This is why international partners must continue to cooperate with Nigeria in our efforts to dismantle terrorist networks.”
The Sahel region, which includes parts of northern Nigeria, has become a new hub of insecurity as extremist activities shift from the Middle East. According to Bwala, this shift demands even stronger regional and global coordination. “Extremist groups are attempting to expand their operational reach,” he warned, underscoring the urgency for both local and international action.
One of the most striking elements of the government’s strategy is its focus on the financial sector. In an interview with Nairametrics, Bwala made it clear that banks, financial institutions, and accounting firms found to be collaborating in terrorism financing will face severe consequences. “We will look at banks that are collaborating with elements like that. We look at other financial institutions that are not banks as it were. We look at accounting firms that are involved in this money laundering. And then we look at our collaboration with our foreign partners,” he said. The penalties are stiff: heads of implicated banks will be prosecuted, and the institutions themselves could be fined or even closed.
Bwala explained that finance is the lifeline of terrorist activities, which is why countries worldwide, including the United States, focus on combating money laundering and terrorism financing. “If a bandit demands ransom and they say that the money should be wired to them, it’s through where? Financial institutions. And we have laws that regulate that,” he noted. The government, Bwala assured, has the equipment and capability to trace funds even through complex networks, including those involving satellite and internet systems. “This government has the equipment to begin to trace them. There is a thin line,” he said, hinting at the sophistication of both the criminal networks and the government’s surveillance tools.
The crackdown will not stop at financial institutions. Bwala warned that intermediaries who present themselves as negotiators but become accessories to terrorism will also face prosecution. “Once the government discovers that, either by way of investigation, by way of revelation, or by way of confession, because it can happen either of those ways, then judge us whether we are able to be firm or not. Nobody will be spared,” he declared. He stressed that the selective application of laws undermines society and promised that this time, no one would be above the law.
International collaboration is a central pillar of the government’s approach. Bwala highlighted ongoing cooperation with U.S. intelligence agencies to identify and prosecute those aiding terrorism. This partnership is particularly important given the recent criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians from violence and threatened possible military action. Trump warned of “possible action” unless Nigeria “acts decisively,” even stating that the Pentagon had been asked to prepare for a potential strike. Nigeria’s government swiftly rejected these accusations, with President Tinubu reaffirming his commitment to protecting people of all faiths and working with international partners. “Nigeria will continue to work with the United States and the international community to ensure religious freedom,” Tinubu said, pushing back against claims of religious intolerance.
On the domestic front, the Tinubu administration is also taking steps to reallocate security resources. Following a directive issued on November 23, 2025, all police officers providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) were withdrawn, with the Inspector-General of Police announcing the enforcement of this order two days later. Bwala urged Nigerians to monitor compliance and document any violations, explaining that while some critical government officials will still have security, it will be provided by agencies like the State Security Service and Civil Defence, not the police. “If you identify a celebrity, a private sector person, or any individual who has police against the executive order of the president, as much as you can, capture evidence, whether a photograph or video,” he advised.
With these sweeping measures, Nigeria’s government is signaling a new resolve to confront the root causes of insecurity. The coming days will reveal whether this bold approach can disrupt the networks that have long enabled violence—and whether the promised transparency will help restore public confidence in the country’s fight against extremism.
