By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, OPHK, and the National Technical Risk Assessment Committee on Non-Profit Organisations, NPOs, have agreed to strengthen collaboration to prevent the diversion of resources to terrorist groups in the North East.
This was disclosed by the Team Leader of the Committee, Mrs Ibinabo Amachree, during a visit to Headquarters Theatre Command, OPHK, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The visit was part of the ongoing 2026 National Technical Risk Assessment of NPOs in Nigeria.
The statement was signed by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.
Mrs Amachree said the assessment builds on findings of the 2022 National Risk Assessment and is being conducted ahead of Nigeria’s next international evaluation on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing.
She noted that the 2022 assessment identified the North East and North West as areas of elevated terrorism-financing risk. Vulnerabilities identified include non-compliance with operational procedures, movement of large volumes of cash without adequate documentation and security, and the potential exploitation of humanitarian and service-oriented organisations by terrorist groups.
She added that the 2026 assessment adopts a risk-based approach to identify NPOs that may be vulnerable to abuse for terrorism-financing. She said relevant agencies have developed measures to strengthen monitoring of high-risk organisations, including due diligence and vetting of personnel and vendors engaged by NPOs operating in vulnerable areas.
Responding, the Theatre Commander, OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, described terrorism financing as a critical enabler of terrorist activities. He said OPHK would continue to support legitimate humanitarian and non-profit activities while ensuring strict compliance with security and operational procedures.
The Theatre Commander expressed concern over the movement of cash and humanitarian supplies without adequate documentation, security coordination and escort. He urged NPOs and humanitarian organisations to give sufficient advance notice of planned movements to enable OPHK to coordinate security escorts, route protection and, where necessary, air support.
He also called for proper due diligence and security screening of local vendors and service providers contracted by humanitarian organisations.
Major General Abubakar recalled that OPHK recently hosted a Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Roundtable with humanitarian actors and UN agencies, where measures were agreed to improve coordination on humanitarian access and delivery of supplies.
He assured the Committee of OPHK’s readiness to provide relevant operational information to enrich the 2026 National Technical Risk Assessment, subject to security considerations. He urged legitimate NPOs operating in the North East to adhere strictly to established procedures, maintain close coordination with security authorities and promptly report suspicious activities.
