US freezes assets of eight Nigerians over alleged Boko Haram, ISIL, cybercrime links

The United States government has imposed sanctions on eight Nigerians over alleged ties to the extremist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, as well as cybercrime-related activities.

The sanctions were announced in a February 10 update to the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List” published by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The document, which runs into thousands of pages, details individuals and entities whose assets under US jurisdiction have been blocked.

According to OFAC, the designation prohibits US persons from conducting transactions with those listed and freezes any property or interests they hold within the United States.

Among those named is Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, born August 23, 1990. US authorities linked him to Boko Haram. He was previously among six Nigerians convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 for attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria to support insurgent activities.

Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, was designated under counterterrorism sanctions. He has used multiple aliases, including Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso.

Also listed is Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, known as Ba Idrisa, believed to have been born between 1989 and 1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State. He was sanctioned under terrorism-related provisions.

Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, also referred to as Habib Yusuf, was identified as a senior Boko Haram figure. His year of birth is recorded between 1990 and 1995.

Khaled, also spelled Khalid, Al-Barnawi, born in 1976 in Maiduguri, appeared twice in the publication. He is also known by aliases including Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman and was linked to Boko Haram.

Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, was listed with a Nigerian passport and a reported residence in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. US authorities cited alleged links 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 identified as having connections to ISIL.

Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, was designated under cyber-related sanctions.

The Treasury Department said the updated list is intended to notify the public of enforcement actions and support compliance with US sanctions programmes. Under Executive Order 13224, the measures are part of Washington’s counterterrorism framework targeting individuals and groups accused of supporting extremist activities.

The United States designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2013. The group has carried out attacks in northern and northeastern Nigeria and across the Lake Chad Basin.

The sanctions follow recent calls in the US Congress for visa restrictions and asset freezes against individuals and organisations accused of religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

In October 2025, President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would be added to the US State Department’s list of Countries of Particular Concern over allegations of religious persecution. Nigeria had previously been placed on the list in 2020 before being removed in 2021 under President Joe Biden.