The United States has imposed sanctions on eight Nigerians over alleged ties to terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), as well as cybercrime-related offences.

The sanctions were announced in a February 10 publication by the United States Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The action was contained in a 3,000-page update of the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List” (SDN List), a reference document detailing individuals and entities subject to US sanctions.

According to OFAC, the list provides formal notice of persons whose property and interests in property are blocked under US law as part of counter-terrorism and other sanctions programmes.

“This publication of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is designed as a reference tool providing actual notice of actions by OFAC with respect to Specially Designated Nationals and other persons… whose property is blocked, to assist the public in complying with the various sanctions programmes administered by OFAC,” the agency stated.

Individuals listed

Among those designated is Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, born August 23, 1990. He was identified as having links to Boko Haram. Yusuf was among six Nigerians convicted in 2022 in the United Arab Emirates for establishing a Boko Haram cell to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria. The group was found guilty of attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria.

Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, was listed under terrorism-related sanctions. He was identified under multiple aliases, including Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso.

Also designated was Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, also known as Ba Idrisa, reportedly born between 1989 and 1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State. He was flagged under terrorism-related sanctions.

Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, also referred to as Habib Yusuf, was identified as a Boko Haram leader and listed with varying birth years between 1990 and 1995.

Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, born in 1976 in Maiduguri, appeared twice in the publication and was listed under several aliases, including Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman.

Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, was identified as holding a Nigerian passport and reportedly residing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He was also linked to Boko Haram.

Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, born in 1982 in Mainok, Borno State, was designated for alleged ties to ISIL.

Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, was listed under CYBER2 sanctions, which target individuals involved in significant malicious cyber-enabled activities. He was also identified as holding a Nigerian passport.

Scope of sanctions

Under the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the listed individuals within US jurisdiction are blocked. US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

The sanctions were issued pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets individuals and entities involved in terrorism and terrorism financing.

The United States designated Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation in 2013.

According to the US State Department, the group has carried out attacks in northern and northeastern Nigeria, as well as in parts of Cameroon, Chad and Niger within the Lake Chad Basin, resulting in thousands of deaths since 2009.

Congressional recommendations

The latest action follows recent recommendations by members of the US Congress calling for visa bans and asset freezes on certain Nigerian individuals and groups over alleged violations of religious freedom.

Among those reportedly recommended for sanctions were former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as well as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. However, their names did not appear on the February 10 OFAC sanctions list.

Religious freedom designation

In October 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would be added to the US State Department’s religious freedom watchlist, alleging persecution of Christians.

Nigeria was first designated a “Country of Particular Concern” in 2020 under President Trump. The designation was later removed by his successor, Joe Biden, shortly after he assumed office.

US law provides for the designation of countries found to have repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism under provisions including Section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, Section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, and Section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

The latest sanctions underscore Washington’s continued focus on disrupting terrorism financing networks and combating cyber-enabled threats. (Daily Trust)

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