The Federal Government has welcomed the decision of the United States government to impose sanctions on a Nigerian businessman, Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, and two Bureau De Change operators over their alleged involvement in terrorism financing.

In a statement issued by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on Wednesday, the Nigeria Sanctions Committee, (the government body led by the Attorney-General that tracks terrorist financing) described the action by the United States as a significant step in the joint effort to cut off financial support for terrorist organisations operating within and beyond Nigeria.

The committee said the United States, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), recently designated Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine BDC Limited and Generation Currency BDC Limited for sanctions after Nigeria had already placed them on its own sanctions list on June 18, 2026.

According to the committee, the inclusion of the individuals and companies followed months of intelligence gathering, financial investigations and assessments carried out by relevant security and financial agencies. The investigations, it said, established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected persons and entities facilitated, financed, supported or otherwise contributed to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province and associated terrorist networks.

The committee said the U.S. action demonstrates growing international cooperation in tackling terrorism financing and strengthens efforts to prevent individuals and organisations accused of supporting terrorist activities from accessing the global financial system.

Apart from Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, those listed by Nigeria include Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima, Adamu Chiroma, Ibrahim Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar Usman and Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam, as well as Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited, Generation Currency BDC Limited and Nine to Nine BDC Limited.

The government reiterated its earlier order to banks, other financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses to continue complying with sanctions obligations by freezing assets linked to listed persons and entities, filing Suspicious Transaction Reports and notifying the appropriate authorities of any matches.

The committee praised the collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Department of State Services, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit in investigating and disrupting financial networks linked to terrorism.

It said Nigeria remains committed to working with local institutions and international partners to strengthen the integrity of its financial system and ensure that terrorist groups and their alleged financiers are denied access to resources that could sustain their operations.

The latest development reflects closer cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in tracking and restricting financial activities believed to support terrorism, with authorities expressing confidence that coordinated sanctions will further strengthen national and global security efforts. (The Nation)