A highly publicized counter-terrorism operation commissioned during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure has reignited controversy following revelations from retired Army General Ali-Keffi. The former general claims the 2021 multi-agency investigation, which aimed to dismantle Boko Haram’s financial networks, was intentionally suppressed to protect influential figures allegedly tied to terror financing.
Ali-Keffi, who once served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Nigeria’s 1 Division, was appointed in 2021 to lead Operation Service Wide (OSW). The operation was tasked with uncovering the financiers behind Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations, as well as disrupting their networks. According to Ali-Keffi, the probe uncovered far-reaching connections, revealing that some suspects were linked to senior government officials, prominent military officers, and major financial institutions.
Documents obtained by Sahara Reporters indicate that OSW, in coordination with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), arrested several high-profile individuals in March 2021, tracing funds allegedly used to support terrorism. The findings were reportedly presented to former President Buhari in September 2021. Ali-Keffi further claims that the then-Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya (retd.), was briefed on the investigation, indirectly associating him with some of the arrested suspects.
Barely a month after submitting the report, Ali-Keffi alleges he was summoned to the Military Police Headquarters on October 18, 2021, where he was interrogated and detained for 64 days without charges, trial, or formal explanation. “To this day, I do not know the reason for my detention,” he said, asserting that his arrest and forced retirement were orchestrated to halt the OSW investigation.
Frustrated by the lack of accountability, Ali-Keffi said he petitioned President Bola Tinubu following his election, but received no response. This led him to pursue legal action at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, a case he claims was undermined as court processes were never formally served to the Army, raising suspicions of interference.
Alleged Links Between High-Ranking Officials and Suspects
Ali-Keffi insists his claims are based on direct information from Modibbo Hamman-Tukur Ribadu, the former Director/CEO of the NFIU who worked closely with OSW, rather than on anonymous sources. He stated that two arrested suspects were linked to former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), two others to former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami (SAN), one to former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, and another to Gen. Faruk Yahaya (rtd).
He clarified that he is not accusing these officials of terrorism financing. “The former NFIU Director informed me that these individuals were linked to certain suspects based on business connections. Many of the suspects operated legitimate businesses, such as Bureau de Change operations, which we suspected were fronts for illicit activities related to terrorism financing,” Ali-Keffi explained.
He recounted that Buratai reportedly attempted to influence the investigation by asking the NFIU Director to pressure him to release two suspects, a request Ali-Keffi refused, reporting the matter directly to Buhari instead. “Buhari told me, ‘You report to me and to me alone,’” he recalled.
International Money Trail and Attempted Bribery
The investigation uncovered that one international suspect, Aboubacar Hima, controlled an offshore account with approximately $600 million. The OSW traced the funds and alerted U.S. authorities, who subsequently froze the account. Ali-Keffi claims the NFIU later informed him that a $50 million bribe was offered to unfreeze the funds, which he rejected. He alleges that despite his refusal, the Nigerian government eventually requested the U.S. to unfreeze the account.
Alleged Attempts to Undermine the Investigation
Ali-Keffi revealed that the OSW had compiled strong evidence for terrorism-financing charges against 48 suspects. However, he claimed he faced relentless pressure to downgrade the charges to money laundering, potentially redirecting the cases to the EFCC, then reportedly under the influence of Malami and chaired by his relative, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
He added that a senior prosecution lawyer assisting OSW was abruptly removed after refusing to compromise on pursuing terrorism-financing charges. According to Ali-Keffi, “The powers-that-be wanted to kill the investigation, and my refusal to comply led to trumped-up allegations against me.”
Release of Suspects and the Halt of OSW
Following his detention and forced retirement, the OSW operation was effectively shut down. Ali-Keffi claims that all arrested suspects were eventually released, with none of the 20 top suspects or others charged in court. He also alleged that the released suspects were warned against speaking to the media or pursuing legal action after being detained for nine months.
Extensive Target List, Including Boko Haram Leader
In a startling disclosure, Ali-Keffi revealed that OSW had a list of over 400 individuals targeted for arrest or elimination, which included the late Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. “Some of the top suspects are part of the 48 we arrested,” he said. “We had a list of over 400 individuals to be arrested or neutralized. Of course, we couldn’t arrest Shekau, and we had to ‘engineer’ what happened to him.”
Ali-Keffi maintains that the NFIU, EFCC, and the Office of the Attorney-General are best positioned to clarify whether the funds traced to the suspects were ultimately recovered or released. He insists that his arrest, detention, and forced retirement were direct consequences of resisting attempts to obstruct a high-level terrorism-financing investigation involving some of Nigeria’s most powerful figures.
0 Comments