UNCLAS ABUJA 003080

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCOR PTER EFIN PREL NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NIGERIA CONTINUES TO COOPERATE IN EFFORT
TO IDENTIFY TERRORISTS' ACCOUNTS


REF: STATE 207526



1. EconOff delivered reftel information December 5 to Ernest
Ebi, Deputy Governor for International Operations at the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Ebi agreed to release the
list of three (3) entities in a new Call Circular, which will
require all Nigerian banks to identify accounts associated
with these terrorist entities.



2. On November 28, the Central Bank issued a circular
directing all banks to improve customer identification
procedures in order to combat financial frauds ("419s" in
local parlance) and money-laundering. The directive
prohibits banks from keeping anonymous accounts and requires
banks to obtain information on the identity of the persons on
whose behalf an account is opened or transaction conducted.
These measures, according to Ebi, also will assist the CBN's
ongoing efforts to identify terrorists' financial assets.
Jeter