In a significant development, President Bola Tinubu has sanctioned the appointment of Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), subject to confirmation by the Senate.
This announcement was made via an official statement issued by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.
Ms. Bakari brings to this esteemed position a robust background as a legal practitioner and financial intelligence expert, boasting extensive expertise in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) domains.
Prior to assuming her role as the Chief Executive Officer at NFIU, Ms. Bakari served diligently as the Deputy Director within the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit. Her distinguished tenure also encompassed pivotal leadership roles including 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 expresses confidence in Ms. Bakari’s capabilities, anticipating that she will effectively leverage her wealth of experience and specialized knowledge in fulfilling her duties, particularly in alignment with the administration’s robust efforts to combat illicit financial activities and other malpractices prevalent within segments of the nation’s foreign exchange markets.
This appointment underscores President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest standards of governance and integrity within critical financial institutions, thereby advancing Nigeria’s collective interests on the global stage.
