President Tinubu appoints Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as NFIU chief
In a significant move to bolster the nation’s financial intelligence efforts, President Bola Tinubu has greenlit the appointment of Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). The decision is pending confirmation by the Senate.
Bakari, a seasoned lawyer and expert in financial intelligence, brings a wealth of experience to the role, with a strong background in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF).
Prior to assuming the helm at NFIU, Ms. Bakari served as the Deputy Director at the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit. Her extensive portfolio includes leadership roles such as Head of the General Services Unit, Head of the Strategy and Reorientation Unit, and Head of the Board Secretariat at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
President Tinubu, through his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, expressed confidence in Ms. Bakari’s ability to bring her expertise to bear in this critical role. The appointment aligns with the administration’s unwavering commitment to combat illicit financial flows and other unethical practices currently plaguing segments of the nation’s foreign exchange markets.
This strategic move underlines the President’s dedication to reinforcing the nation’s financial intelligence architecture and marks a pivotal step in the ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s financial systems.
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