U.S. Freezes Assets of 8 Nigerians Linked to Terrorism

On February 10, the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against eight Nigerians for alleged connections to terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), as well as cybercrime-related offenses. The action is part of a broader counter-terrorism sanctions program and includes a 3,000-page update to the Special Designated Nationals (SDN) list.

Among those sanctioned is Salih Yusuf Adamu, born August 23, 1990, who was convicted in 2022 for attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria to fund Boko Haram. Other individuals listed include Babestan Oluwol Ademulero, Abu Musab al Barnawi, Khale Khalid al Barnawi, Usman Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, Abu Bakr Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Al Mainuki, and Nnamdi Orson Benson, who is noted for significant malicious cyber-enabled activities.

The sanctions block their properties within U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit transactions with them.