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The United States has imposed sanctions on eight Nigerians accused of ties to the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), as well as involvement in cybercrime and other security threats. The measures include freezing their assets and property within US jurisdiction.
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 recommendations by the US Congress for visa bans and asset freezes on individuals and organizations implicated in religious persecution in Nigeria.
The document, titled *Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List*, serves as a reference tool detailing persons and entities whose property and interests have been blocked as part of US counter-terrorism and cybercrime initiatives.
Among those sanctioned is Salih Yusuf Adamu (also Salihu Yusuf), born on August 23, 1990, in Nigeria. Yusuf was reportedly involved in setting up a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria. He, along with five others, was convicted in 2022 for attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria to fund the group’s operations.
Other individuals listed include Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, and Nnamdi Orson Benson. The sanctions apply to both their property and any US-based transactions.
The former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as well as the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal, were also recommended for visa bans and asset freezes by US lawmakers, highlighting concerns over violations of religious freedom and attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
OFAC explained that the sanctions block property and interests of Specially Designated Nationals and prevent US persons from conducting financial transactions with them. The action aligns with US efforts to curb terrorism financing, cybercrime, and other security threats globally.
The move also reflects ongoing US scrutiny of Boko Haram and ISIL-linked activities. Boko Haram, designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2013, has been responsible for numerous attacks in northern and northeastern Nigeria, as well as the Lake Chad Basin, resulting in thousands of deaths since 2009.
In October 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would be listed as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom, citing the persecution of Christians—a designation previously removed by President Joe Biden.
The sanctions underscore Washington’s continued commitment to countering terrorism financing, protecting human rights, and addressing cyber threats affecting Nigeria and the broader region
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