US has sanctioned Nigerian man and three firms over alleged ISIS financing network.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the United States government has designated a Nigerian national and three Nigeria-based companies for their alleged involvement in a global financial network linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The action forms part of a broader sanctions package targeting three individuals and six entities accused of facilitating the movement of funds for ISIS operations across multiple regions, including Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa.
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In a statement issued on Monday, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the sanctions were aimed at dismantling financial networks that enable ISIS to move money across international borders.
According to Pigott, the designations cover individuals and businesses operating in France, Syria, Türkiye, and Nigeria.
“Today’s designations target three individuals and six entities operating across Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa who have enabled ISIS to move money across borders, exposing a network that spans from France and Syria to Türkiye and Nigeria,” the statement said.
The U.S. identified the Nigerian national as Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, also known as Mukhtar Adamu or Muhammad Mukhtar, alleging that his money exchange businesses served as channels for financing ISIS activities in West Africa.
The three Nigerian companies added to the U.S. Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list are Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited, Lagos; Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited, Kano; and Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the U.S. government, the companies are allegedly linked to Muhammad and were used to facilitate financial transactions connected to the terrorist group’s operations.
Also sanctioned were French national Miloud Abderrahmane, accused of providing support to ISIS through cryptocurrency transactions, and Abdelhakim Boukich, a Syria-based operative alleged to have facilitated activities for ISIS supporters.
Other entities designated under the sanctions include Alkaram Danismanlik Gayrimenkul Ic ve Dis Genel Ticaret Limited Sirketi and Spider Gayrimenkul ve Genel Ticaret Limited Sirketi, both based in Türkiye, as well as Bitcoin Exchange Agent Idlib’s No.1 Coin Exchange in Syria.
The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13224, as amended, which authorises the U.S. government to target individuals and organisations linked to terrorism and terrorist financing.
Under the designation, all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned individuals and entities that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them.
The U.S. government also reaffirmed its security partnership with Nigeria, highlighting the joint operation conducted on May 16, 2026, which led to the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-highest-ranking ISIS official.
Pigott stated that Washington would continue to deploy diplomatic, legal, and financial measures against ISIS and its supporters worldwide.
“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.
The State Department reiterated its commitment to working with international partners to combat terrorism financing and eliminate threats posed by ISIS to global peace and security.
ISIS, formerly known as al-Qaeda in Iraq, was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organisation by the United States in 2004.
