U.S. Freezes Assets of Eight Nigerians Linked to Boko Haram, ISIL
By David Meshioye, 16 February 2026

The United States has frozen the assets of eight Nigerians connected to the terrorist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), according to a 3,000-page document released on February 10 by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The document, titled “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List”, also identifies individuals sanctioned for cybercrime and other security threats. The sanctions follow recommendations by U.S. lawmakers calling for visa bans and asset freezes on those accused of persecuting Christians and violating religious freedom in Nigeria.

Among the Nigerians targeted are Salih Yusuf Adamu, also known as Salihu Yusuf, who was convicted in 2022 in the United Arab Emirates for setting up a Boko Haram cell to raise funds for insurgents in Nigeria. His group attempted to transfer $782,000 from Dubai to Nigeria.

Other individuals sanctioned include Babestan Oluwole Ademulero (also known as Wole A. Babestan and Olatunde Irewole Shofeso), Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi (Ba Idrisa), Abu Musab Al-Barnawi (Habib Yusuf), Khaled Al-Barnawi, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Mainuki. All were identified as having ties to Boko Haram or ISIL. Several were born in Maiduguri and other parts of Borno State.

Additionally, Nnamdi Orson Benson, born March 21, 1987, was designated under U.S. cybercrime sanctions (CYBER2) for cyber-related offences and reportedly holds a Nigerian passport.

The sanctions block all property and interests of the listed individuals within U.S. jurisdiction, and U.S. citizens and companies are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Nigerians on the list face asset freezes under Executive Order 13224.

Boko Haram was officially designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2013. Since 2009, the group has carried out numerous deadly attacks across northern and northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

In October 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump added Nigeria for the second time to the U.S. Department of State’s “Countries of Particular Concern” list over alleged violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was initially added in 2020 but was removed shortly after President Joe Biden assumed office.