2019-10-01
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) directs all financial and designated non-financial institutions to implement United Nations Security Council sanctions targeting North Korea (DPRK) and Iran following the FATF’s identification of their strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Institutions must close existing DPRK-related representative offices and banking accounts, prohibit new joint ventures without UN approval, and apply enhanced due diligence to transactions involving DPRK entities, diplomats, and high-risk jurisdictions. The advisory mandates continuous monitoring, suspicious transaction reporting to the NFIU, and strict compliance with targeted financial sanctions to protect Nigeria’s financial system from money laundering, terrorism financing, and weapons of mass destruction proliferation risks.
[NFIU Logo]
NIGERIAN FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT No. 12, Ibrahim Taiwo Str., Aso - Villa, Asokoro, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria Hotline: +2349097303256 Website:www.nfiu.gov.ng Email: info@nfiu.gov.ng
NFIU/DCEO-SCUML/2019/Vol.1/538 23rd September, 2019
The Director Special Control Unit against Money Laundering Abuja.
FORWARD LETTER: ADVISORY ON THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATION FOR THE NIGERIAN FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE FATF LIST OF JURISDICTIONS WITH STRATEGIC AML/CFT DEFICIENCIES. RESOLUTIONS 1540 (2004); 1718 (2006); 2094 (2013); 2270 (2016); 2356 (2017); 2371 (2017) AND 2397 (2017)
We forward herewith this Advisory for distribution to all designated non-financial institutions reiterating the importance of complying with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions on anti-money laundering, counter financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (AML/CFT/CPF) in order to protect the Nigerian financial system.
This advisory is also in line with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Public Statement calling on countries to apply counter measures on jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT/CPF deficiencies that may pose a threat to their financial system.
Please accept the assurances of my highest regards.
(Signature) Modibbo R. HammanTukur Director/CEO
[NFIU Logo]
NIGERIAN FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT
19th September, 2019 NFIU/EXT/PRIV/ADV/DCEO/PRESIDENCY/19 SEPT-2019/VOL.1/003
Chief of Staff to The President Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development Honourable Minister of State Petroleum The National Security Adviser Director General, National Intelligence Agency Director General, Department of State Services The Acting Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission Acting Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Director, Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) All Chief Executive Officers of Financial Institutions in Nigeria and Corresponding Financial Institutions elsewhere All Designated Non-Financial Institutions
NFIU
ADVISORY ON THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATION FOR THE NIGERIAN FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE FATF LIST OF JURISDICTIONS WITH STRATEGIC AML/CFT DEFICIENCIES. RESOLUTIONS 1540 (2004); 1718 (2006); 2094 (2013); 2270 (2016); 2356 (2017); 2371 (2017) AND 2397 (2017)
PURPOSE The NFIU is issuing this advisory to inform and direct Nigerian financial institutions and other actors in the Nigerian financial system on the need to safeguard the country's financial system from the implications of violations of United Nations Security Council Resolutions as listed above. All financial institutions (FIs) and designated non-financial institutions (DNFIs) should be aware of these resolutions and their implications, which may affect their obligations and risk based approaches to dealing with parties covered under the FATF list of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies especially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Nigeria is under obligation to observe and implement the FATF international standards to combat money laundering and counter the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The DPRK has been named as one of the jurisdictions having strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regimes.
The FATF has in its February 22 2019 Public Statement called for countermeasures and/or enhanced due diligence (EDD) because of the strategic AML/CFT deficiencies of DPRK and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI).
BACKGROUND I. The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) is obliged to ensure the integrity of the Nigerian financial system by providing all relevant institutions with information and guidance to mitigate against the threat from money laundering and terrorism financing as well as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
2 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
II. RECALL, that the FATF on the 25 February 2011 reaffirmed its call on States, and urged all jurisdictions including Nigeria to advise their financial institutions to give special attention to business relationships and transactions with the DPRK (including DPRK companies, financial institutions), and those acting on behalf of the DPRK.
III. And in addition to enhanced scrutiny, called on its members, and urged all jurisdictions including Nigeria to apply effective countermeasures, and targeted financial sanctions in accordance with applicable United Nation Resolutions, to protect their financial sectors from money laundering, financing of terrorism and WMD proliferation financing (ML/FT/PF) risks emanating from the DPRK. Nigeria's obligations under the various UNSCRs especially resolution 1718 in this regards enjoins her to take necessary measures to close existing branches, subsidiaries and representatives offices of DPRK's banks within its territory and terminate correspondent relationships with DPRK banks, where required by relevant UN Resolutions.
IV. WHEREAS resolution 2371 (2017) has further reaffirmed, strengthened and extended previous Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 825 (1993), 1540 (2004), 1695 (2006), 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 1887 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013), 2270 (2016), 2321 (2016) and 2356 (2017), as well as the statements of its President of 6 October 2006 (document S/PRST/2006/41), 13 April 2009 (document S/PRST/2009/7) and 16 April 2012 (document S/PRST/2012/13), against The DPRK,
3 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
V. WHEREAS the UNSCR 2270 (2016) requires Member States to prohibit financial institutions from establishing new joint ventures and from taking an ownership interest in or establishing or maintaining correspondent relationships with DPRK banks without advance approval from the UN,
In the light of the above and in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on North Korea (DPRK), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), relying on its statutory mandate to protect the Nigerian financial system from both internal or external vulnerabilities, threats, risks of money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, hereby ADVISES all financial institutions (FIs), designated non - financial institutions (DNFIs) and other entities operating in/within the Nigerian financial sector howsoever described;
To take note and be aware of UNSCR 2321 (2016), which requires that Member States expel individuals acting on behalf of or at the direction of a bank or financial institution of the DPRK. Note that UNSCR 2321 also expresses concern that individuals from the DPRK are sent abroad to earn hard currency to fund the DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and it reiterates the concern that the DPRK may use bulk cash to evade UN measures. Also note the resolution (unless individually exempted by the 1718 Committee), enjoining Member States to prohibit public and private financial support within their territories or by persons or entities subject to their jurisdiction for trade with the DPRK.
To take note and closely monitor and watch out for schemes being adopted by the DPRK to circumvent the UN sanctions especially those
4 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
with predicate implications of money laundering of funds for financing of weapons of mass destruction ("WMD"), ballistic missile projects, proliferations of dangerous weapons and any other acts directly contravening the UN sanctions on the DPRK.
To immediately close (where any is established to exist) all existing representative offices, subsidiaries or banking accounts related to or maintained by the DPRK in the financial institutions except accounts maintained by DPRK embassy and its diplomats.
Nigerian FIs and DNFIs should be particularly aware, note and comply with the responsibility under the UNSCR 2321, prohibiting all public and private financial support within Member States (in this case Nigerian territories) or by persons or entities subject to the Nigerian jurisdiction from trading with the DPRK, mindful that some individuals are sent abroad by the DPRK to earn hard currency to fund DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile program.
Nigerian FIs and DNFIs should take steps to ensure and collaborate with the Government of the Federation in freezing, in accordance with her respective legal processes funds, financial assets, and economic resources owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the persons or entities designated by the Committee or by the UNSC as being engaged in providing support for, (including through other illicit means) DPRK's nuclear-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related and ballistic missile-related programmes.¹
¹ UNSCR 1718 paragraph 8(d) 2006
5 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
To be aware that in accordance with the various Security Council Resolutions herein contained, all dealings, transactions, receipt, dispensation, transfer, sale and all other financial transactions are prohibited between Nigeria and the DPRK and therefore FIs and DNFIs should implement enhanced due diligence on customers believed to be related or affiliated to DPRK entities when opening accounts, or carrying out transactions, betting at casinos, investing in private businesses and services, buying out stocks, insurance premiums and all sales and transactions involving all commodities and products from or to the DPRK.
To develop and intensify additional measures to monitor financial transactions originating from the DPRK, and other high risk jurisdictions, for the purpose of preventing money laundering, the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
To adopt additional and advanced reporting obligations in order to secure the financial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to effectively implement the Council Resolutions' targeted financial sanctions on related proliferation programme of the DPRK government.
To promptly and swiftly report all transactions originating from the DPRK and her allies as suspicious transactions to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Without prejudice to the exemption granted to the financial transactions consummated by the personnel of the DPRK diplomatic missions, FIs and
6 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
DNFIs are hereby mandated to promptly develop and put in place monitoring framework for conduct of periodic financial transactions surveillance on the DPRK diplomatic personnel, their relatives and all politically exposed persons (PEPs) of the DPRK origin living, residing and working in any part of Nigeria.
1. Prohibited Activities Under this Advisory All FIs and DNFIs are by this advisory prohibited from:
i. Operating correspondent accounts and/or having any banking relationship with the DPRK's financial institutions, entities and DPRK's allies.
ii. Allowing a national of the DPRK to operate any account in any financial institution operating in Nigeria except those exempted under UNSCR Resolution 1718 (2006).
iii. Directly or indirectly supplying, selling or transferring to the DPRK, through the Nigerian territories or by Nigerian nationals, or using
7 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
Nigerian flagged vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles and whether or not originating from their territories of all crude oil; unless the appropriate Committee approves in advance on a case by case basis.
iv. Opening of new joint ventures or cooperative entities with DPRK entities or individuals or the expansion of such joint ventures through additional investment, whether or not acting for or on behalf of the government of the DPRK, unless such joint ventures or cooperative entities have been approved by the appropriate Committee in advance on a case by case basis.²
2. Omission and Non – Waiver of Sanctions Any omission of the details of any sanction placed on the DPRK in this advisory shall not constitute a waiver of any of the Resolutions and sanctions placed on the DPRK by the UN Security Council.
3. Penalty for Violation by FIs & DNFI&Bs Violations of this advisory and/or any other legal obligations arising herein or within any other law in these regards shall attract appropriate sanctions.
4. Effective Date All actions required to be taken by the FIs and DNFIs under this advisory shall commence from the date of this advisory and shall be ongoing as long as the Council's Resolution subsists.
² UNSCR 2371 paragraph 12 2017
8 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
(Signature) Modibbo R. HammanTukur Director/CEO
9 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
APPENDIX I
RED FLAG INDICATORS:
General indicators of DPRK's proliferation finance
10 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
DPRK Diplomats' sanctions Evasion Tactics
Trade/Shipment Documentation
Customers
Transactions
11 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
Front Companies
Geography or Jurisdiction
12 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
OTHER POTENTIAL INDICATORS OF SANCTIONS EVASION ACTIVITIES
13 | Page ADVISORY
NFIU
14 | Page ADVISORY