- Safiu Kehinde
The United States government has frozen the assets and properties of over 20 Nigerians allegedly linked to the Boko Haram, Ansaru, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) and other terrorists sect.
This is coming days after the US Congress proposed bill targeted at sanctioning terrorism sponsors and terrorists groups in Nigeria.
NPO Reported that the bill christened ‘‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’’ was last week presented before the chamber on by US Congressmen, Riley Moore and Chris Smith.
While the likes of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and Fulani-ethnic nomad militias had already been indicted int the bill, the US would kick-off the sanctions with the assets freezing scores of Nigerians suspected to be funding terrorism in the country.
The sanctioned, as contained in a 3,000-page document updated by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on February 10, also extended to individuals and organisations accused of cybercrime-related offences and other security threats.
According to reports, the sanction means all property and interests of these individuals and entities within US jurisdiction are blocked under Executive Order 13224, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
Nigerians Currently Sanctioned by the US include Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, born on August 23, 1990, in Nigeria.
Yusuf was identified as having ties to Boko Haram and was reported to hold a Nigerian passport.
He was among six Nigerians convicted in 2022 for setting up a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria.
The six men were convicted in the UAE for attempting to send $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria.
Also on the list is Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, born on March 4, 1953, in Nigeria, was designated under SDNTK sanctions. He appeared under several aliases, including Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso.
Others as profiled in the document include; ” Khalid al‑Barnawi Also known as: AL-BARNAWI, Khaled; BARNAWI, Khalid; EL-BARNAOUI, Khaled; HAFSAT, Abu; USMAN, Mohammed Date of birth: 1976 Place of birth: Maiduguri, Nigeria Offence/Program: Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) — linked to Boko Haram/terrorism
“Abubakar Shekau Also known as: BIN MOHAMMED, Abu Mohammed Abubakar; BI MUHAMMED, Abu Muhammed Abubakar; SHEHU; SHAYKU; SHEKAU Date of birth: 1969 Place of birth: Shekau Village, Yobe State, Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT — leader associated with Boko Haram
“Abu Musab al‑Barnawi Also known as: YUSUF, Habib Date of birth: 1991 (multiple alternate DOBs listed by OFAC) Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT — Boko Haram affiliate/leader
“Abu Bakr al‑Mainuki Also known as: AL-MINUKI, Abu-Bilal; MAINOK, Abor; MAINOK, Abubakar Date of birth: 1982 Place of birth: Mainok, Benisheikh, Borno State, Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to ISIL Salihu
“Yusuf Adamu Also known as: ADAMU, Salih Yusuf Date of birth: 23 Aug 1990 Place of birth: Nigeria; current location: Abu Dhabi Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to Boko Haram
“Surajo Abubakar Muhammad Also known as: MUHAMMAD, Surajo Abu Bakr Date of birth: 3 Jul 1979 Place of birth: Nigeria; current location: Abu Dhabi Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to Boko Haram
“Abdurrahman Ado Musa Also known as: MUSA, Abdurrahman Ado Date of birth: 23 Apr 1984 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to Boko Haram
“Bashir Ali Yusuf Date of birth: 7 Aug 1984 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to Boko Haram
“Ibrahim Ali Alhassan Date of birth: 31 Jan 1981 Place of birth: Nigeria; current location: Abu Dhabi Offence/Program: SDGT — linked to Boko Haram Nnamdi Orson Benson Date of birth: 21 Mar 1987 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Abiola Ayorinde Kayode Date of birth: 14 Nov 1987 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Alex Afolabi Ogunshakin Date of birth: 23 Feb 1983 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Felix Osilama Okpoh Date of birth: 9 Mar 1989 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Micheal Olorunyomi Date of birth: 12 May 1983 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh Date of birth: 29 Apr 1986 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: OFAC cyber designation (CYBER2)
“Ali Abbas Usman Jega Also known as: JEGA, Ali Abbas Usman; HASSAN, Ali Abbas Othman; JEGA, Abbas Date of birth: 1965 Address: Abuja, Nigeria Offence/Program: SDGT
“Olatutu Temitope Date of birth: 30 Jun 1952 Place of birth: Nigeria Offence/Program: SDNTK”