The United States Treasury has frozen the assets and properties of eight Nigerians accused of links to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), according to a 3,000-page document released on February 10 by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The document also listed individuals sanctioned for cybercrime and other security threats, reflecting Washington’s continued focus on countering terrorism financing and cyber threats.
The sanctions follow recommendations by the United States Congress for visa bans and asset freezes on persons and groups accused of violating religious freedom and persecuting Christians in Nigeria. The former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Miyetti Allah Kautal were specifically recommended for visa and asset restrictions.
OFAC’s “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List” includes details of the designated individuals and entities whose property is blocked in US jurisdictions. All US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with those listed, under Executive Order 13224.
Among the Nigerians sanctioned are:
- Salih Yusuf Adamu (Salihu Yusuf), born August 23, 1990, linked to Boko Haram and convicted in the UAE for attempting to send $782,000 to insurgents in Nigeria.
- Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, listed under SDNTK sanctions and known by several aliases.
- Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi (Ba Idrisa), flagged under terrorism sanctions.
- Abu Musab Al-Barnawi (Habib Yusuf), identified as a Boko Haram leader.
- Khaled (Khalid) Al-Barnawi, born 1976, linked to Boko Haram and listed with multiple aliases.
- Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, reported to reside in Abu Dhabi and linked to Boko Haram.
- Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki (Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki), born 1982, associated with ISIL.
The sanctions block all property and interests of these individuals within the US and prohibit US persons from conducting transactions with them.
Boko Haram was officially designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US in 2013 and has carried out attacks across northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, resulting in thousands of deaths since 2009.
The sanctions are part of the US framework under the National Defense Authorization Act, Arms Export Control Act, and the Foreign Assistance Act. Nigeria has previously been designated a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations, most recently in 2025 under President Donald Trump.
Also Read: Obi urges votes must count in 2027, warns against electoral malpractice
