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US Sanctions Nigerian Man, Three Firms Over Alleged ISIS Financing Network

1 hour ago

The United States has designated a Nigerian national and three Nigeria-based companies for their alleged involvement in a financial network linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The action, announced by the US Department of State, forms part of a broader sanctions package targeting three individuals and six entities across Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa accused of facilitating the movement of funds for the terrorist group.

According to State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott, the designated individuals and companies allegedly helped ISIS transfer money across international borders through a network stretching from France and Syria to Türkiye and Nigeria.

Among those sanctioned is Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, a Nigerian citizen based in Lagos, whom US authorities linked to ISIS-West Africa. The sanctions also target three Nigerian companies: Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited in Lagos, Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited in Kano, and Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited in Lagos.

The US also designated several foreign entities, including Türkiye-based money transfer firms and a cryptocurrency exchange operating in Syria, accusing them of supporting ISIS financial operations.

Pigott said the US would continue to deploy diplomatic and legal measures to disrupt ISIS financing networks and hold supporters of the group accountable wherever they operate.

“We 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,” he said.

He added that the United States remains committed to protecting lives, defending religious minorities, and working with international partners to eliminate threats posed by ISIS to global peace and security.

The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13224, as amended. ISIS has been designated by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organisation since 2004.

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