The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has advised politicians and senior government officials against what it described as “attempts to introduce politics, illegal pressure on and inordinate requests for information” from the Unit.
This was disclosed in a statement signed byAhmed Dikko, Chief Media Analyst of NFIU on Wednesday.
The statement reminded those concerned that government’s Intelligence bodies as essentially apolitical.
The statement titled: “Public Notice and Advisory to Politicians and Senior Government Officials” reads thus:
“We are forced to react to attempts to introduce politics, illegal pressure on and inordinate requests for information from the NFIU.
“We had to appropriately enlighten all calibre of officers in this category to know that Intelligence Institutions of government are generally apolitcal , operating within fixed and tailored mandate.
“The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit is also an agency created at the heart of global best practice to support crime analysis and Intelligence building locally and internationally.
“For future and records, our laws and standards permit us to share information with Law enforcement, Regulatory, Defence and Security and corresponding agencies in over 170 countries who are also co owners and co controllers of Intelligence and compliance processes at all FIUs.
“Additionally and categorically we do not release information for administrative, civil and business reasons or requests.
“Equally we will always respond to any attempt or an inkling of it to bring or introduce or incline local and international politics to our operations.
“FIUs are also consistently reviewed mutually.”
The statement added that, “So even for our staff there are repeated warnings. Influence peddling or mediocrity can substitute professional conduct or personal character. Any Officer, whose conducts do not meet FIU best practices will always be responded to within the law.”
