US names Nigerian, three Lagos/Kano firms in ISIS terror financing crackdown

US names Nigerian, three Lagos/Kano firms in ISIS terror financing crackdown

The United States Government has named a Nigerian national and three Nigeria-based financial services companies among individuals and entities accused of facilitating the movement of funds for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), as part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s intensified global counterterrorism financing campaign.

The designation, announced on Monday, targets three individuals and six businesses operating across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, whom U.S. authorities say played critical roles in enabling ISIS to transfer money across international borders.

According to the U.S. State Department, the action is aimed at disrupting financial networks that allow ISIS to fund terrorist operations, support regional affiliates and threaten civilian populations, including religious minorities.

The Nigerian identified by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu, who is alleged to be linked to ISIS-West Africa. Adamu, born on August 2, 1990, is listed as residing in the Agege area of Lagos State.

American authorities allege that Adamu used money exchange businesses under his control as channels for moving funds connected to ISIS activities.

The three Nigerian firms named in the sanctions announcement are General Currency Bureau De Change Limited, established in Lagos in January 2019; Manhattan Bureau De Change, located on Murtala Mohammed Way, Kano, and incorporated in January 2021; and Nine To Nine Exchange Bureau De Change, situated within the FAAN Complex along Airport Road, Lagos, and established in August 2017.

The United States designated Adamu, alongside Syrian national Abdelhakim Boukich, also known as Babili Muhammad, and French national Abderrahmane Miloud, also known as Ghazi Ibrahim, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

U.S. authorities alleged that Boukich facilitated cryptocurrency transfers on behalf of ISIS-linked operatives, while Miloud reportedly provided information relating to explosives to ISIS supporters.

The State Department said the sanctions underscore Washington’s determination to dismantle ISIS financial networks and deny the terrorist group access to resources used to sustain its global operations.

“The United States will continue to use every diplomatic and legal tool available to hold ISIS and its supporters accountable—wherever they operate and however they move money,” the department said.

The U.S. government also reaffirmed its security partnership with Nigeria, highlighting the two countries’ cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.

Washington specifically referenced the joint operation carried out on May 16, 2026, which resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-highest-ranking official within ISIS.

According to U.S. officials, sustained pressure on ISIS has weakened the group’s centralized structure, forcing it to increasingly rely on financial intermediaries and transnational networks to move funds and support its affiliates across multiple regions.

The latest sanctions are expected to freeze any assets under U.S. jurisdiction linked to the designated persons and entities while restricting their access to the international financial system.

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