The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on eight Nigerian nationals over alleged connections to extremist groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The action was detailed in a February 10 update released by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a division of the United States Department of the Treasury.
The update forms part of OFAC’s expansive “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List,” a comprehensive register identifying individuals and entities subject to US sanctions.
According to OFAC, the publication serves as an official notification that the listed persons have had their assets within US jurisdiction frozen. It also prohibits US citizens and businesses from conducting financial or commercial transactions with them.
Individuals Named in the Sanctions
Among those designated is Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, born August 23, 1990. He was previously convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 alongside five other Nigerians for establishing a Boko Haram-linked fundraising network.
Authorities said the group attempted to move approximately $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria to support insurgent operations.
Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, was also sanctioned. He reportedly used multiple aliases, including Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso.
Another individual listed is Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, also known as Ba Idrisa, believed to have been born between 1989 and 1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State. He was designated under terrorism-related sanctions.
Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, identified as Habib Yusuf and described as a senior Boko Haram figure, was likewise included under counterterrorism measures.
Khaled, or Khalid, Al-Barnawi, born in 1976 in Maiduguri, was also named. He has reportedly operated under aliases such as Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman.
Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, and said to be residing in Abu Dhabi, was designated for alleged ties to Boko Haram activities.
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, born in 1982 in Mainok, Borno State, was listed for alleged links to ISIL.
In addition, Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, was sanctioned under the CYBER2 programme, which targets cybercrime and related security threats.
Legal Basis for the Sanctions
The measures were taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224, a US counterterrorism authority aimed at disrupting financial networks that support extremist activities.
Those designated under the order face asset freezes and restrictions intended to cut off access to international financial systems.
Also Read: Beyond Roses and Chocolates: The Real History of Valentine’s Day
The latest move comes amid increasing calls from US lawmakers for stricter measures, including visa bans and targeted sanctions, against individuals and groups accused of undermining security and religious freedom in Nigeria.
The United States formally designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2013, citing its role in deadly attacks across Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.
The new sanctions underscore Washington’s continued efforts to combat terrorism financing and transnational security threats.