Chief Missioner of Nasrul-lahil-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publicise the names of religious organisations found to be financing terrorism.
He spoke in an interview with newsmen during the inauguration of the new National Executive Council (NEC) of the society led by Abdulrauf Abdulwahid as the new President.
EFCC Chairman had last week revealed that the anti-graft agency had uncovered a religious body laundering money for terrorists.
But the NASFAT Missioner while responding to questions said the EFCC should not stop at uncovering but should go ahead by publicising the organisation, saying the society as a foremost Islamic organisation is not losing sleep over the revelation because it has always made its accounts open.
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He said, “If the EFCC had traced terrorism money to the accounts of religious bodies, they should go after them. You don’t need to be told. Go and do the needful, go and arrest the perpetrators. NASFAT will come clean when it comes to that.
“EFCC should do the needful, they can even publicise the names of those organisations, that will serve as a lesson to those who may have the intention of doing so. He (EFCC Chairman) said it and the issue has been swept under the carpet and that would be the end of it. Why must you tell us? It means you have concluded the investigation and if you have concluded the investigation, go the whole hog by revealing the culprits.
“NASFAT as a society, we are not being financed by a terrorist group. We would not even invite you if your character is shady, we would not invite you to come and support us if your source of income is questionable. We will not invite you to come and support our cause if you are having issues with the EFCC.”
The inauguration of the new executive followed the dissolution of the former executive led by Mr. Niyi Yusuf which served from 2019 to 2024.
In attendance at the inauguration were Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Asiwaju Asiru Idris; Immediate past Minister of Interior, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola; former APC National Legal Adviser, Mr. Muiz Banire, President, Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, Baba Adinni of Owo Land in Ondo State, Alhaji Jamiu Ekungba, a popular clergyman, Evang. (Dr.) Kunle Hamilton, among others.
The NASFAT Chief Missioner called on the new NEC members to see their appointment as a trust bestowed on them even as he praised the immediate past President whom he stated had taken the society to an enviable level.
“Another leadership is taking over today in NASFAT and we have been doing that in the last 27 years and Allah has been making it to be seamless, to be rancour-free, to be crisis-free. We thank Allah and we are not taking that mercies of Allah for granted,” he said.
The immediate past President said millions of people were impacted through the focus on Health, Education, Livelihood and Dawah (HELD) agenda, even as over 6.3m people were reached during the last Ramadan while over 3000 Missioners were trained.
He said, “Despite our multiple agencies, NASFAT at the core remains a religious society with a clear mission of developing an eligntened Muslim society nurtured by a true understanding of Islam for the spiritual upliftment and welfare of mankind.”
The new President said his team would focus on purposeful leadership, empowerment, agent of change and Dawah encapsulated as LEAD.
“We will empower and support our women and youth to achieve their full potential and aspirations in all spheres of life. We will provide them with opportunities and platforms to express their views, talents and skills.
“We will be an agent of change of society moral re-awakening by exemplifying and advocating the moral values and standards of Islam,” he said.
In his lecture, Associate Professor Nasiru Onibon tasked the new NEC to lead with the fear of God as they have been given positions of trust.
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