Eight Nigerians have had their assets and properties frozen by the United States on suspicion of having ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Boko Haram, and other Islamic sects. This was seen by the correspondent on Monday in a 3,000-page document dated February 10 that was made public by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Individuals sanctioned for offenses related to cybercrime and other security hazards were also listed in the publication.
The announcement follows the US Congress's recent proposals to bar visas and seize assets for individuals and organizations suspected of violating religious freedom and persecuting Christians in Nigeria.
Legislators in the United States suggested banning visas and freezing assets for Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State; the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria; and Miyetti Allah Kautal.
As a reference guide, the OFAC document, "Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List," listed people and organizations of various countries whose assets had been frozen.
Additionally, as part of counterterrorism measures, it gave notification of acts taken against Specially Designated Nationals, whose property and interests were restricted.
OFAC claims that the action is a part of its larger initiatives to stop financial transactions with Specially Designated Nationals and to restrict their property and interests.
To help the public comply with the various sanctions programs that OFAC administers, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said that this publication serves as a reference tool that provides actual notice of actions taken by OFAC about Specially Designated Nationals and other persons (which term includes both individuals and entities) whose property is blocked.
Salih Yusuf Adamu, also called Salihu Yusuf, was born in Nigeria on August 23, 1990, and is one of the people on the list. According to reports, Yusuf possessed a Nigerian passport and was linked to Boko Haram.
In 2022, Yusuf was one of six Nigerians found guilty of establishing a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates to generate money for Nigerian rebels.
For trying to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria, the six individuals were found guilty in the United Arab Emirates.
Another person under SDNTK sanctions was Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, who was born in Nigeria on March 4, 1953. Among his many aliases were Olatunde Irewole Shofeso and Wole A. Babestan.
Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, popularly known as Ba Idrisa, was also designated. He was tagged under sanctions related to terrorism and was allegedly born in Maiduguri, Borno State, between 1989 and 1994.
Habib Yusuf, also known as Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, was listed with a range of birth years from 1990 to 1995. He was designated as a leader of Boko Haram and subject to anti-terrorism sanctions.
Born in Maiduguri, Nigeria, in 1976, Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi was mentioned twice in the publication. He was listed under other identities, including Abu Hafsat and Mohammed Usman, and was associated with Boko Haram.
A Nigerian passport was listed for Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, who was born in Nigeria on January 31, 1981. He was connected to Boko Haram and was said to live in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, whose real name is Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, was born in Mainok, Borno State, in 1982. He was found to have connections to ISIL.
Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, in Nigeria, was listed under CYBER2 sanctions and was reported to hold a Nigerian passport.
The placement of these names on the OFAC list demonstrates Washington's ongoing commitment to combating cyber threats and the funding of terrorism.
Due to the sanctions, U.S. citizens are generally not allowed to do business with these individuals, and their property and interests within U.S. jurisdiction are barred.
Executive Order 13224 imposes asset freezes on Nigerians named under US Treasury sanctions.
In 2013, Boko Haram was formally classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. Since 2009, the group has carried out multiple attacks in the country's north and northeast, as well as in the Lake Chad Basin in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, killing thousands of people, according to the US State Department.
Countries that have persistently supported acts of international terrorism are identified by the US Secretary of State.
Three laws identify these nations: Section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, Section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, and Section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.
Nigeria will be included in the US Department of State's list of "Countries of Particular Concern" for the second time, according to an announcement made by US President Donald Trump in October 2025.
In a post on X, Trump claimed that Muslims were persecuting Christians and killing them, and he announced that Nigeria would be added to a watchlist for religious freedom.