Senate confirms Hafsat Bakari for appointment as Director,NFIU

The Senate has confirmed Ms.Hafsat Bakari for appointment as the Director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

Her confirmation,followed the adoption of screening report of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes at the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday.

The report was presented by the Chairman of the committee, Sen.Emmanuel Udende(APC- Benue).

Udende,while presenting the report,said after a through screening of the nominee,the committee was satisfied of her capacity to be appointed as director of NFIU.

He,therefore urged the senate to confirm her appointment.

Sen.Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno)said her appointment was a square peg in a square hole, given her steering performance and experiences over the years on fighting financial crimes.

He said her experience garnered over the years would help in fighting financial terrorism and money laundering activities.

Also speaking, Sen.Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), said the nominee was experienced in fighting financial crimes, saying that she was another good nominee of President Bola Tinubu.

Ningi said he was sure that the nominee was apolitical as she was not disposed to any political leanings, hence a good choice for Nigeria.

President of Senate ,Godswill Akpabio in his remarks after the confirmation, thanked the committee for a wonderful and painstaking screening of the nominee.

He also congratulated Hasfat and hoped that she would bring her experience to bear in her new appointment.

Akpabio also congratulated Tinubu for the appointment of Bakari, saying that it was a square peg in a square hole.

NAN reports that Bakari is a lawyer and financial intelligence expert with years of experience in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF),” the statement read.

Before she was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, she served as Deputy Director at the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, and was at different times the Head of the General Services Unit; Head of the Strategy and Reorientation Unit, and Head of the Board Secretariat of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).(NAN)

By Kingsley Okoye