The United States government has frozen the assets and financial interests of eight Nigerians accused of having links to extremist organisations and cybercrime networks.
The action was announced by the United States Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in a document exceeding 3,000 pages detailing individuals and entities placed under sanctions.
According to OFAC, the publication serves as official notice regarding Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) whose assets under U.S. jurisdiction have been blocked. The agency stated that the list is intended to guide the public in complying with various sanctions programmes administered by the Treasury.
Nigerians Named
Among those listed is Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, reportedly linked to Boko Haram. He was previously convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 for attempting to transfer funds allegedly intended to support extremist activities.
Other individuals named include Babestan Oluwole Ademulero; Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi (also known as Ba Idrisa); Abu Musab Al-Barnawi (also referred to as Habib Yusuf); Khaled or Khalid Al-Barnawi; Ibrahim Ali Alhassan; Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali Al-Mainuki (also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki), allegedly linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); and Nnamdi Orson Benson, who was designated under cyber-related sanctions.
Implications of the Sanctions
The sanctions, imposed under Executive Order 13224, mean that all property and interests in property belonging to the listed individuals within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions or dealings with them.
The United States officially designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2013, citing its involvement in violent attacks across northern and northeastern Nigeria and parts of the Lake Chad Basin.
The latest move underscores Washington’s continued efforts to disrupt terrorism financing networks and counter cyber-related threats globally.
