US imposes asset freeze on eight Nigerians linked to terrorism

The United States has frozen the assets and property of eight Nigerians accused of links to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The announcement appeared in a 3,000-page document from the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, dated February 10, 2026, and obtained on February 16, 2026. The document also listed individuals sanctioned for cybercrime and other security threats.

Those named include Salih Yusuf Adamu, Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Nnamdi Orson Benson.

The sanctions follow recommendations from the US Congress for visa restrictions and asset freezes on individuals and groups accused of violating religious freedoms and persecuting Christians in Nigeria. Former Kano State Governor Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, along with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and its Kautal Hore faction, were also among entities recommended for similar sanctions.

The OFAC document, titled Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, provides notice of actions against individuals and entities whose property is blocked under US counter-terrorism measures.

Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, born August 23, 1990, in Nigeria, was identified for ties to Boko Haram. He was among six Nigerians convicted in 2022 in the UAE for setting up a Boko Haram cell to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria, attempting to transfer $782,000 from Dubai.

Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, known as Ba Idrisa, was flagged under terrorism-related sanctions. Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, also called Habib Yusuf, and Khaled (or Khalid) Al-Barnawi, born in 1976 in Maiduguri, were similarly listed for Boko Haram links. Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki, also known as Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, was identified as having ties to ISIL. Nnamdi Orson Benson was listed under cybercrime-related sanctions.

The sanctions block all property and interests of the named individuals within US jurisdiction, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. These measures are applied under Executive Order 13224, which targets individuals and groups involved in terrorism financing.

Boko Haram has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US since 2013 and is responsible for numerous deadly attacks across northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. Washington’s sanctions reflect continued efforts to counter terrorism financing, cyber threats, and support for global security.

In October 2025, Donald Trump announced that Nigeria would be added to the US State Department’s list of “Countries of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution against Christians, marking the country’s second designation under this watchlist. Nigeria had first been designated in 2020 under Trump and later removed by former President Joe Biden.