Security agencies summon six alleged ISWAP financiers, freeze assets

Security agencies have summoned six individuals and three companies recently designated by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) over alleged terrorism financing, as investigations into suspected links to *ISWAP* and affiliated networks intensify.

The action follows a directive by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to freeze all funds, assets, and economic resources linked to them under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

—NFIU: Designations Based on ‘Extensive Intelligence’—

Speaking at a joint media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, NFIU official Kingsley Amaku said the designations followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations, and inter-agency assessments.

The designated individuals are: Muktar Muhammad Adamu, Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima, Adamu Chiroma, Ibrahim Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar Usman, and Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam.

The affected entities are: Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited, Generation Currency BDC Limited, and Nine to Nine BDC Limited.

Amaku said Muktar Muhammad Adamu, Generation Currency BDC, and Nine to Nine BDC were also sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)* for alleged roles in supporting terrorist financing.

—Assets Frozen, Security Probe Ongoing–

Financial institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) have been ordered to immediately identify and freeze assets linked to the persons and entities.

“Their designations by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations and inter-agency assessments which established reasonable grounds to suspect their involvement in financing, facilitating or supporting terrorist activities,” Amaku said.

He added that the coordinated sanctions reflect growing collaboration between Nigeria and international partners to disrupt terror financing networks.

Vanguard reports that the six individuals and three companies have been invited by relevant security agencies as part of ongoing investigations into the extent of their alleged involvement.

Source: Vanguard