The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has uncovered 27 affiliates belonging to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in 22 countries across the globe, including the United State of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
According to NFIU, the US and the UK had the largest numbers of these IPOB affiliates per country, with seven and six operating IPOB cells respectively in both countries.
This was revealed in a newsletter exposing the funding of terror activities in Nigeria by IPOB, bandits, and other terror groups through global crowdfunding and on sports betting platforms.
The NFIU, in the document, titled “Counter Terrorism Financial Newsletter,” linked the running of IPOB to 54 individuals across the globe.
“The NFIU confirmed that the diaspora affiliates of the IPOB group have spread over 22 countries across the globe.
“Further analysis exposed 27 entities across the globe registered in the name of the group, the US and the UK had the highest number of registrations, having seven and six registered entities, respectively.
“The analysis further indicates that the group has several bank accounts in different countries where funds are being received from various contributors with the narrations ‘Monthly Dues, Services and for ESN’, among others, then later disbursed for various operations.
“It was confirmed that one of the major sources of revenue for the group is crowdfunding by several individuals abroad, mostly Nigerians.
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“It was observed that over $160,000 was disbursed to Transmission, Media, and Broadcasting companies in Bulgaria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
“The analysis profiled the leader of the group, his addresses, and mobile numbers abroad with 53 other individuals associated with the dissident group. The report was forwarded to Law Enforcement for further investigation,” the newsletter revealed.