A former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi (rtd), has alleged that influential individuals linked to terrorism financing and oil smuggling were identified by security investigations but shielded from facing justice.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News Channel on Thursday, the retired senior officer, who once headed the Operation Service Wing (OSW) — a special unit tasked with dismantling terrorist financing networks — revealed that painstaking investigations had exposed financiers, facilitators, and sponsors of Boko Haram terrorists, including some with strong political connections.
According to him, coordinated arrests carried out between 2017 and 2018 dealt a heavy blow to the insurgents, crippling their operations and forcing mass surrenders. He added that the clampdown ultimately contributed to the death of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
“Through thorough intelligence and coordinated operations, we uncovered individuals financing Boko Haram, including some engaged in large-scale oil smuggling. Sadly, despite the evidence, many of them were shielded from prosecution,” Ali-Keffi alleged.
The retired general stressed that failing to prosecute those behind terrorist funding networks undermined the sacrifices of soldiers who fought to restore peace. He called for renewed political will to bring sponsors and collaborators of violent groups to justice, noting that terrorism cannot thrive without financial lifelines.
His revelations add to longstanding concerns over the complicity of powerful figures in prolonging Nigeria’s security crisis. Successive administrations have faced criticism for failing to publicly name and prosecute terror financiers despite repeated promises and intelligence reports.
