In a renewed bid to curb illicit financial inflows deployed to fund terrorism, the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) said yesterday it has built a database of terrorist groups and networks in Africa with a view to halting illicit terror funding in the continent.
Illicit financial outflow is seen as a major source of terrorism financing in Africa. The latest report by the Thabo Mbeki panel set up to investigate illicit financial outflows from Africa said $90 billion is ferried out of Africa annually.
African intelligence and security agencies have stepped up strategies aimed at curbing the menace that has led to the death of thousands of people and destruction of property worth millions of dollars in many African countries.
Speaking in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), Mr. Shimeles W. Semayat, said because of the internationalised nature of security threats, African security agencies have built a database with a view to monitoring and profiling terror networks operating in Africa and confronting security threats facing the continent.
One of the major threats that Africa is facing is the threat of terrorism. Terrorism is a network that transcends national borders. Terrorists carry out attacks from a different place, funding comes from a different source and training from a different place. By the same token, the African security agencies, need to coordinate to curb the threat of terrorism.
The executive secretary said: “the internationalised nature of security threats is the reason why African security agencies are coming together to have a united voice in confronting the threats and put pressure and minimise illicit financial flows.
African security agencies need to exchange intelligence, share data, and profile all terrorists and groups in Africa as part of measures to curb terrorism.
CISSA was set up in 2004 to provide intelligence support to the African Union leadership in its effort to maintain peace, security and stability in Africa by means of prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and elimination of all forms of security threats in Africa.
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