By Gloria Nosa
The United States government has imposed sanctions on eight Nigerians over alleged connections to terrorism and cybercrime, freezing any assets or property they may hold under US jurisdiction.
The action was announced in a February 10 publication by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The updated sanctions list—known as the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List”—runs thousands of pages and identifies individuals and entities whose financial assets are blocked as part of Washington’s counter-terrorism and security efforts.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny by US lawmakers over religious freedom concerns in Nigeria, with calls for visa bans and financial restrictions against individuals and organisations accused of persecution and security violations.
Individuals Named in the Sanctions
Among those designated is Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, who was previously convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 for helping to establish a Boko Haram-linked fundraising network. He and five others were found guilty of attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria in support of insurgent activities.
Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, identified under several aliases, was also sanctioned under counter-terrorism provisions.
Several individuals linked to extremist groups were listed, including:
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Boko Haram affiliate Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi (also known as Ba Idrisa), reportedly born in Maiduguri, Borno State.
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Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, also known as Habib Yusuf, identified as a senior Boko Haram figure.
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Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, linked to the group and listed under multiple aliases.
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Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, reportedly residing in Abu Dhabi and connected to Boko Haram activities.
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Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, identified as having ties to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
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Nnamdi Orson Benson, designated under cyber-related sanctions.
Under Executive Order 13224, all property and financial interests of the sanctioned individuals within US jurisdiction are blocked. US citizens and entities are generally prohibited from conducting business or financial transactions with them.
Broader Context
The United States officially designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2013, citing its role in thousands of deaths across northeastern Nigeria and parts of the Lake Chad Basin since 2009.
The latest sanctions also follow renewed political debate in Washington over Nigeria’s religious freedom record. In October 2025, President Donald Trump announced plans to return Nigeria to the US State Department’s “Countries of Particular Concern” watchlist, alleging ongoing violence and persecution against Christians. Nigeria had previously been placed on the list in 2020 but was later removed during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
US authorities say the sanctions are part of ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorism financing networks and combat cyber-enabled threats, while ensuring compliance with American sanctions programmes.
The development underscores Washington’s continued focus on security challenges linked to extremist groups operating in and around Nigeria.
