The United States has frozen the assets and properties of eight Nigerians accused of links to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), alongside cybercrime-related offences.
The action is contained in a 3,000-page document dated February 10 and released by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which lists individuals and entities designated under various sanctions programmes. The move follows recent recommendations by the United States Congress for visa bans and asset freezes against persons and groups accused of religious freedom violations and persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
US lawmakers also recommended sanctions against former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and Miyetti Allah Kautal.
The OFAC publication, titled Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, serves as official notice of actions taken to block the property and interests of designated individuals as part of counter-terrorism and security efforts.
Those listed include Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf (born August 23, 1990), identified as having ties to Boko Haram. He was among six Nigerians convicted in 2022 for setting up a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates and attempting to send $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria.
Also designated is Babestan Oluwole Ademulero (born March 4, 1953), listed under SDNTK sanctions and known by aliases including Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso.
Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, also known as Ba Idrisa (born between 1989 and 1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State), was flagged under terrorism-related sanctions. Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, also referred to as Habib Yusuf (born between 1990 and 1995), was identified as a Boko Haram leader.
Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi (born 1976 in Maiduguri), linked to Boko Haram, appeared twice in the publication under aliases including Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman. Ibrahim Ali Alhassan (born January 31, 1981), reported to reside in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was also linked to Boko Haram.
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki (born 1982 in Mainok, Borno State), was identified as having ties to ISIL. Nnamdi Orson Benson (born March 21, 1987) was listed under CYBER2 sanctions for cybercrime-related activities.
The sanctions block all property and interests of the named individuals within US jurisdiction and generally prohibit US persons from engaging in transactions with them. Nigerians listed face asset freezes under Executive Order 13224.
The United States designated Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation in 2013, citing responsibility for numerous attacks since 2009 across northern and northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.
In October 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would again be added to the US State Department’s list of “Countries of Particular Concern” over religious freedom concerns, a designation first made in 2020 and later removed by former President Joe Biden after he assumed office.