US Freezes Assets of Eight Nigerians Over Boko Haram and ISIL Links

The United States has frozen the assets and properties of eight Nigerians accused of ties to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), as part of ongoing counter-terrorism and cybercrime measures. The move was outlined in a 3,000-page document released by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on February 10.

The list also targets individuals implicated in cybercrime and other security threats. Among those sanctioned are Salih Yusuf Adamu, linked to a Boko Haram cell in the UAE that attempted to transfer $782,000 to Nigeria, and Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, identified as a Boko Haram leader. Others include Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, Abu Bakr Al-Mainuki, and Nnamdi Orson Benson, designated under cybercrime sanctions.

The sanctions block all property and interests of the individuals within US jurisdiction and prohibit Americans from engaging in transactions with them. OFAC said the measures are part of broader efforts to prevent terrorism financing and protect public security

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The announcement follows recent US congressional recommendations for visa bans and asset freezes on persons and groups accused of religious persecution in Nigeria, including former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.

The US officially designated Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organization in 2013. The group is responsible for thousands of deaths in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin since 2009.