A Review of Sam Chukwuka Onyeka’s Combating Terrorism and Terrorist Financing

By

Abiodun, Michael Adekunle

Introduction

Enclosed within Sam Chukwuka Onyeka’s 594 page volume on combating terrorism and its

financing is a detailed treatment of the subject, drawing heavily from the global arena and

history while focusing exclusively on its implications for Nigeria. The twenty-two chapter

volume presents detailed explanations, suitable for the education of beginner and a reminder

of the learned, touching areas like the definition of concepts, history, current practices, global

minimum standards and recommendations. The book also makes provision for an appendix,

which is an appendage of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 as well as a

comprehensive index. Below is an overview of the work as well as a candid assessment of the

material.

General Overview of the Book

As expected of a treatise such as this, chapter one seeks to clarify basic concepts through

definitions gleaned from several other attempts, noting that there may not be one exhaustive

or generally accepted definition of concepts such as Terrorism, for instance. The idea is not

clear cut, he argues, as “one person’s freedom fighter is another person’s terrorist.” Also in

the chapter, he explains key elements of terrorism, which are violence, fear and intimidation.

He also highlighted the three types of terrorism in the same chapter to be:

i. Groups that pursue specific goals which could be religious, national and so on;

ii. Groups that pursue mixed goals; and

iii. Those who act on the behalf of governments.

The author also highlighted the motivations for terrorism. He classified terrorism also into

Domestic (Home Grown) Terrorism and International Terrorism. A definition of

Counterterrorism and a discussion of observed ineffectiveness of some existing

counterterrorism programmes brought the chapter to a close.

Chapter Two discusses the evolution of terrorism from its earliest manifestation (The

Zealots of Judaea and the Shia Islamist Assassins, the Nizari Ismalis) to modern day terror

groups like Al Qa’ida, Da’ish, Hezbollah etc., with the Popular Front for the Liberation of

Palestine (PFLP) noted as the first of the modern manifestation of the phenomenon in 1968.

Groups in Nigeria such as Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, and Islamic State in West Africa

Province (ISWAP) were also mention – with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)

included as a tentative member of the list.

Chapter Three focuses on the existing architecture of terrorism financing – which

includes legitimate financial institutions as well as several underground financial networks.

The chapter explains the three-stage process of terrorist financing, which involves raising,

moving and using funds. Sources of funds were also identified as sympathizers, Diaspora

movements, as well as foreign governments. The chapter compares money laundering and

terrorist financing, describing both as clandestine crimes. The chapter ends with a specific

review of the existing methods of terrorist financing in Nigeria.

Chapter Four reviews the relationship between modern technology and terrorist

financing – how technology aids terrorist financing. It bares the irony that, while

technological improvements have resulted in diverse economic gains, it has equally been

exploited for financing terrorism through online retailers and marketplaces, crypto currencies,

the social media, crowd funding etc. The author warns that the list is not expected to be

exhaustive, as the methods of terrorist financing are expected to change along with financial

technology. He concludes the chapter by suggesting that it is better to create systems for
reporting suspicious transactions rather than prohibiting them, bearing in mind the numerous

advantages these methods provide.

Chapter Five focuses on the implications of terrorism on growing economies, which

the author describes as “devastating.” While it weakens the economy on the one hand, it leads

to disruptions which may become apparent either immediately or long afterwards. Physical

destructions include that of factories, equipment, transportation networks, workforces etc. On

the psychological side, terrorism erodes investor/consumer confidence, leaving a long term

negative impact.

Chapter Six discusses existing global and regional initiatives against terrorism and

terrorist financing. The chapter x-rays such initiatives as laws, rules and regulations geared

towards preventing terrorism and limiting access to funding and financial services for

designated terrorist groups. The chapter also discusses the initiatives of the United Nations

and other organizations with similar goals at the regional level such as the Financial Action

Task Force (FATF). It ends with an analysis of the UN’s framework and other programmes

as instruments which have led to the current global standards for AML/CFT/CPF.

An examination of the existing standards on the criminalization of terrorist financing

is the focus of Chapter Seven. The author makes somewhat in-depth analysis of relevant

provisions of the Vienna Convention and the Palermo Convention relating to criminalization

of terrorism financing offences. Most of the discussion center on the resolutions of the above-

mentioned conventions as well as the Terrorist Financing Convention. Also, the

recommendations of the FATF were given due consideration, and the factors inhibiting their

implementation were equally highlighted.

Chapters Eight to Eleven bear a common focus – the evolution of the legal and

institutional framework for combating terrorism and terrorist financing in Nigeria, which
culminates in the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The author beams his

searchlight on the narrow provisions of Section 15 of the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, which proved insufficient for addressing the

challenges posed by terrorism in the country. The section of the book also discusses

subsequent efforts at enactments and amendments to the present day, notably the Terrorism

(Prevention) Act 2011, which paved the way for the implementation of the UN Convention of

the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism in Nigeria. Others are the Terrorism

(Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 (TPAA) as well as the Terrorism (Prevention and

Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The twelfth chapter looks at Compliance of Nigeria’s CFT regime with global

minimum standards. It reviews the country’s compliance with FATF 40 Recommendations in

respect to combating terrorist financing, which reveals that Nigeria, indeed, has attained

minimum standards with respect to the legal framework for combating terrorism and terrorist

financing.

Chapter Thirteen equally focuses on compliance, highlighting how state and non-state

actors interact to ensure compliance in attained and maintained. The activities of such bodies

like the CBN, SEC and NAICOM and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit were also

discussed.

Chapter Fourteen reviews the architecture for the enforcement of the counterterrorism

and combating of terrorist financing regime in Nigeria with a focus on the Office of the

National Security Adviser, the DSS, and other law enforcement and security agencies.

Chapters Fifteen to Eighteen looks at combating terrorism and terrorist financing

regimes in other climes such as the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom

and the Republic of South Africa.

 The nineteenth chapter focuses on sanctions the author describes as “complex and

dynamic.” The major sanctions regimes reviewed in the chapter are the US Sanctions

Regime, the UN Sanctions Regime, the EU Sanctions Regime, and Nigeria’s Sanctions

Regime.

Chapter Twenty presents outcomes of the FT National Risk Assessment (NRA) in the

relevant jurisdiction. Chapter Twenty-One on the other hand reviews the basic issues

involved in the prosecution of terrorism and terrorist financing offences, with particular

reference to Nigeria while the final chapter (Twenty-Two) presents a quick summary of the

main ideas contained in the book, which the author brings to a close with a conclusion and

recommendations segment. As hinted in the introduction, the book contains an appendix

which is an appendage of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and a

detailed index brings the volume to a close.

Significance of the Book to Terrorism

Sam Chukwuka Onyeka’s work is undoubtedly rich with relevant information as far as the

discourse of terrorism is concerned. Its strength lies basically in largeness of volume which

affords the author to give a sort of a glossary treatment to basic and ancillary concepts while

making deep dives on the core of the subject matter. That is not to say that the material is a

one-stop document for studies in terrorism – no single volume ought to lay claim to such

capabilities. The focus is terrorism and terrorist financing and issues directly and indirectly

connected to the subject matter. It must also be noted that issues of perspective comes into

play in the choice of issues to accentuate and others to deemphasize or completely sidetrack,

their relevance notwithstanding. Hence, while the book is strongly recommended on the
grounds of significance to the subject matter of terrorism, the reader must bear in mind the

limitations of perspective and idiosyncrasy.

Contribution to Knowledge

Since the subject of terrorism is not a new one, a book on it may not be expected to break too

many new grounds. That is not to say, however, that it is not expected at all. Combating

Terrorism and Terrorist Financing by Sam Chukwuka Onyeka is basically a product of

secondary research. However, while the information contained in the volume can be sourced

by any diligent researcher, the author must be given credit for his patience and diligence in

piecing such a wide range of data together with strict focus, making it a compendium of

many parts of an undeniably complex subject matter.

The work has one thing going for it, and that is richness in information. A complete

novice in the area of terrorism and terrorist financing is sure to have a good head start on the

subject matter, while the reader who is already knowledgeable in the area will have a

wholesome body of knowledge after going through the volume.

Relevance to the Nigerian Situation

Whereas the author treated the subject matter with global standards in view, he made good

efforts in narrowing it all to the Nigerian situation. Whereas, also, terrorism has its unique

expression and manifestation in Nigeria (as it is in other climes), it is a global phenomenon.

Hence, while the author may be faulted for not dwelling on the Nigerian situation for too

long, the international and regional outlook of terrorism and terrorist financing, as well as

efforts of the organizations leading the efforts in combating the menace should excuse any

such oversight – if it can be called that. The book didn’t do much in the area of prevention as

a key component in the fight against terrorism. While it is good to engage terrorists, I believe
victory is more in view if due consideration is given to tackling ecosystems that allow such

crimes to thrive as well as working to reverse the ideologies that birth terrorism in the first

place. It must be noted, however, that even though the book sets its gaze on the international

and regional arena at the outsets, it ends with it focuses resting squarely on Nigeria.

Originality

The concept in itself (that is, the decision to select an aspect of the fight against terrorism for

close scrutiny) is indeed original. However, and as hinted earlier, the work draws heavily

from that of others and cannot be praised for richness in original thought. Such merits would

mostly be conferred on the latter parts of the work – the conclusion and recommendations.

Hence, while there is, no doubt, originality in the organization of the work, the same cannot

be said when it comes to originality of thought and ideas.

Purchasable or Not

The book is rich in information and will be handy for the purposes of general education on

the subject of terrorism and terrorist financing. It will, therefore, make a good addition to the

Ministry’s library.

Conclusion

Sam Chukwuka Onyeka’s book, Combating Terrorism and Terrorist Financing, is a volume

worthy of the attention of the actors involved in the fight against terrorism on the one hand,

as well as the general populace on the other hand. It is rich in knowledge and capable of

serving as a sure guide to the subject matter while supplying insight on tackling the ever

changing challenge of terrorism and terrorist financing.