The United States has frozen the assets and properties of eight Nigerians accused of ties to Boko Haram, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and cybercrime-related activities, according to a 3,000-page document released by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on February 10.
The sanctions also follow recent recommendations by the US Congress for visa bans and asset freezes against individuals and groups allegedly involved in violations of religious freedom and persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Among those highlighted in the recommendations were former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Miyetti Allah Kautal.
The OFAC list, titled Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, serves as a reference for individuals and entities whose property and interests are blocked under US sanctions. The move is part of broader efforts to prevent financial dealings with designated individuals involved in terrorism and other security threats.
Among the Nigerians sanctioned is Salih Yusuf Adamu (born August 23, 1990), reportedly linked to Boko Haram. Yusuf was among six Nigerians convicted in 2022 in the United Arab Emirates for establishing a Boko Haram fundraising cell and attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria.
Other Nigerians listed include:
Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, designated under SDNTK sanctions.
Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, born between 1989–1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State, linked to terrorism.
Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, born 1990–1995, identified as a Boko Haram leader.
Khaled Al-Barnawi, born 1976 in Maiduguri, associated with Boko Haram.
Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, residing in Abu Dhabi, linked to Boko Haram.
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, born 1982 in Mainok, Borno State, with ties to ISIL.
Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, listed under CYBER2 sanctions for cybercrime.
Under the sanctions, all property and interests of these individuals in the US are blocked, and US persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The designations fall under Executive Order 13224, which targets foreign terrorists and those supporting terrorism.
Boko Haram was formally designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in 2013. The group has been responsible for widespread attacks across northern and northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, causing thousands of deaths since 2009.
The US State Department determines countries providing repeated support to international terrorism under Section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act (2019), Section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, and Section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act (1961).
In October 2025, former US President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would again be designated a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom, citing persecution of Christians. Nigeria was previously placed on the list in 2020 but removed shortly afterward by former President Joe Biden.
The sanctions reflect Washington’s continued focus on counterterrorism and combating cybercrime while highlighting concerns over human rights and religious freedom in Nigeria.
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