The United States has frozen the assets and properties of eight Nigerians accused of links to extremist organisations, including Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, as part of expanded counter-terrorism and financial sanctions.
Details of the action were contained in a sanctions update issued by the United States Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control, outlining individuals flagged for terrorism financing, cyber-related offences, and other security threats.
Officials said the designations form part of ongoing efforts to block assets belonging to individuals considered security risks and to prevent financial transactions involving sanctioned persons.
The document, titled the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, serves as a formal notice to financial institutions and the public, identifying individuals whose assets are subject to restrictions under US law.
The development follows heightened scrutiny in Washington after members of the United States Congress raised concerns about religious freedom violations and recommended visa bans and asset freezes targeting certain Nigerian figures and organisations.
Among those previously mentioned in congressional discussions were former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, alongside related groups, though such recommendations remain separate from the Treasury listing.
Treasury authorities explained that sanctioned individuals are barred from accessing property within US jurisdiction, while American entities are prohibited from conducting financial dealings with them.
The sanctions were issued under Executive Order 13224, a framework widely used by Washington to disrupt terrorism financing networks and related activities.
Security analysts say the inclusion of Nigerian nationals underscores continuing US efforts to counter extremist financing and cyber threats with international implications.
Washington formally designated Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation in 2013, citing its involvement in deadly attacks across northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.
Under US law, the Secretary of State retains authority to designate entities or countries linked to international terrorism under multiple statutory frameworks aimed at safeguarding global security.
More recently, US President Donald Trump indicated that Nigeria could again face heightened monitoring over religious freedom concerns, reviving debates that previously saw the country listed — and later removed — from a special watch category during the tenure of Joe Biden.
US officials maintain that sanctions remain a central tool in preventing extremist financing, with enforcement agencies continuing to monitor compliance worldwide.
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