Six Nigerians enter US terror list months after appearing on UAE’s

The United States has placed six Nigerians on its terror list for allegedly sponsoring Boko Haram insurgency that has ravaged the eastern part of Nigeria and border communities in neighbouring Chad and Cameron.

The Nigerians are identified as Abdurrahman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad.

This is coming barely six months after the United Arab Emirates listed the same individuals on its terror list.

The US department of the treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in a statement on its website on Friday, alleged that those listed supported Boko Haram either financially or technically.

The statement read, “Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a network of six individuals connected to Nigeria-based terrorist group, Boko Haram.  All six were found guilty of establishing a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to raise funds for and provide material assistance to Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria.

“OFAC’s action follows arrests, prosecutions, and designations in the UAE in September 2021, demonstrating the commitment of the Emirati government to using judicial measures and targeted financial sanctions to disrupt the flow of funds to these networks.”

According to Secretary of the Treasury, Brian Nelson, the US’ action was aimed at joining the UAE in targeting terrorist financing networks of mutual concern.

“Treasury continues to target financial facilitators of terrorist activity worldwide.  We welcome multilateral action on this Boko Haram network to ensure that it is not able to move any further funds through the international financial system,” Nelson was quoted in the statement.

The statement added, “OFAC designated Abdurrahman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, leaders, and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.  The U.S. Department of State designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on November 14, 2013.”