The United States has imposed asset freezes on eight Nigerians accused of ties to the terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as part of its ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorism financing and related threats.
The designations were detailed in an extensive update—over 3,000 pages—published by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) around February 10, 2026. The document serves as public notice of actions against Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) and others whose properties are blocked, helping ensure compliance with U.S. sanctions programs.
The sanctions, enacted under Executive Order 13224 (which targets terrorism financing networks), block all property and interests in property belonging to the designated individuals that are within U.S. jurisdiction or under the control of U.S. persons.
U.S. persons and entities are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions or dealings with them.The eight Nigerians include several linked to Boko Haram—a group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization since 2013 due to its role in thousands of deaths across northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin since 2009. One individual is sanctioned for cybercrime-related activities.
Key individuals named are:
Salih Yusuf Adamu (also known as Salihu Yusuf), born August 23, 1990—connected to Boko Haram fundraising; previously convicted in the United Arab Emirates as part of a group that attempted to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to insurgents in Nigeria in 2022.
Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953—listed under multiple aliases.
Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi (aka Ba Idrisa) designated under terrorism sanctions.
Abu Musab Al-Barnawi (aka Habib Yusuf)—identified as a Boko Haram leader.
Khaled Al-Barnawi (also spelled Khalid; aliases include Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman)—linked to Boko Haram.
Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981—reportedly based in Abu Dhabi and tied to Boko Haram.
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Al-Mainuki (aka Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki)—designated for connections to ISIL.
Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987—sanctioned specifically under provisions related to cybercrime and other security threats.
This action aligns with broader U.S. counterterrorism priorities and follows recent congressional recommendations for measures such as visa bans and asset freezes against certain figures and groups in Nigeria accused of religious persecution or atrocities, including against Christians.
The sanctions draw on U.S. legal frameworks, including the National Defense Authorization Act (2019), the Arms Export Control Act, and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, to target support networks for designated terrorist organizations.
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