Treasury sanctions target terrorism financing networks and cyber-related activities tied to extremist groups operating in Nigeria and beyond.

The United States has imposed sweeping financial sanctions on eight Nigerian nationals accused of having links to the terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), according to a new update released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The action, announced by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), places the individuals on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, effectively freezing any assets they hold within U.S. jurisdiction. Under the sanctions, U.S. citizens and companies are generally prohibited from conducting any transactions with the designated individuals.

The names appeared in an extensive sanctions document spanning more than 3,000 pages, which OFAC said serves as an official reference to inform the public and ensure compliance with U.S. counter-terrorism and national security laws. The sanctions were issued under Executive Order 13224, a key legal framework used by Washington to disrupt terrorism financing and related threats.

According to OFAC, the latest update is part of broader efforts to weaken extremist networks by cutting off their access to funds, logistics, and international financial systems.

Nigerians Sanctioned

The eight Nigerians named in the sanctions update include individuals accused of fundraising, leadership, operational support, and cyber-related offenses linked to terrorist groups:

Salih Yusuf Adamu (also known as Salihu Yusuf), born August 23, 1990. He was among six Nigerians convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 for running a Boko Haram fundraising cell in Dubai, allegedly attempting to move about $782,000 to support fighters in Nigeria.

Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born March 4, 1953, designated under terrorism-related sanctions.

Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, born between 1989 and 1994 in Maiduguri, Borno State, sanctioned for terrorism activities.

Abu Musab Al-Barnawi (also known as Habib Yusuf), born between 1990 and 1995, identified as a Boko Haram leader.

Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, born in 1976 in Maiduguri, linked to Boko Haram and known by several aliases.

Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, born January 31, 1981, reportedly based in Abu Dhabi and accused of supporting Boko Haram financially.

Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Al-Mainuki, born in 1982 in Mainok, Borno State, identified as having ties to ISIL.

Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, designated under cybercrime-related sanctions for alleged digital offenses.

OFAC noted that some of the individuals, including Adamu and Alhassan, had already been sanctioned in 2022 for their alleged roles in financing Boko Haram from outside Nigeria.

Broader Counter-Terrorism Push

Boko Haram was officially designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States in 2013. Since 2009, the group has carried out deadly attacks across northern and northeastern Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin, including parts of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, leaving thousands dead and displacing millions.

U.S. officials say the latest sanctions underline Washington’s continued commitment to disrupting terrorism financing, extremist leadership structures, and emerging threats such as cyber-enabled crime linked to militant groups.