… Muktar Mohammad, three Nigerian BDCs inclusive
By Teddy Nwanunobi
As the Federal Government continues the battle against terrorism in Nigerian, the United States has named three individuals, including a Nigerian, and six entities across Europe, the Middle East, and West Africa as facilitators of financial transactions on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Nigerian national, Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, and three Bureau de Change (BDC) firms as global terrorist financiers over alleged ties to ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA).
The designated Nigerian firms include: General Currency Bureau De Change Limited (Lagos), Manhattan Bureau De Change (Kano), and Nine To Nine Exchange Bureau De Change (Lagos).
A statement issued by the U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Thomas Pigott, said the designations cut across France, Syria, Türkiye, and Nigeria, describing the network as one that enables ISIS to move money across borders.
“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.
“Among those designated is a France-based facilitator who provided information concerning the use of explosives to ISIS supporters, a Syria-based operator who used cryptocurrency to transfer funds on behalf of ISIS associates in multiple countries, including the United States, and a Nigeria-based facilitator whose money exchange businesses served as conduits for ISIS financing,” the statement said.
In a further update released on Monday, the US released the identities of the three persons and six companies designated.
Apart from the Nigerian national, three of the six designated companies are also from Nigeria, two from Lagos State and one from Kano.
The full list of the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) includes: ABDELHAKIM, Boukich (a.k.a. ‘ALHOLANDI, Abu Sulayman’; ‘BABILI, Muhammad’); Syria; DOB 15 Dec 1993 (alt. 01 Jan 1991); POB The Hague, Netherlands (alt. Aleppo, Syria); nationality Netherlands; male; National ID No. 02040063438 (Syria) [SDGT] (Linked To: ISIS).
ABDERRAHMANE, Miloud (a.k.a. ‘GHAZI, Ibrahim’); France; DOB Aug 1992; nationality/citizenship France; male; Digital Currency Addresses: TRX TBXMiRqUp1XH1zLazWu8cWitMAScv4
MUHAMMAD, Mukhtar Adamu (a.k.a. ADAMU, Mukhtar; MUKHTAR, Muhammad); No. 45 Abimbola Street, off Capital Road, Morcas Agege, Lagos State, Nigeria; DOB 02 Aug 1990 (alt. 03 Aug 1990); nationality Nigeria; male; Passport Nos. A11904741; A07422697 [SDGT] (Linked To: ISIS-WEST AFRICA).
ALKARAM DANISMANLIK GAYRIMENKUL IC VE DIS GENEL TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (a.k.a. AL-KARAM COMPANY; AL-KARAM MONEY TRANSFER COMPANY; SPIDER COMPANY ISTANBUL EXCHANGE RATES); Fatih, Istanbul, Türkiye; [SDGT] (Linked To: ISIS).
BITCOIN EXCHANGE AGENT IDLIB’S NO.1 COIN EXCHANGE (a.k.a. IDLIB NO 1 BTC; NO.1 BITCOIN EXCHANGE AGENT; BITCOIN XCHANGE); Idlib, Salqin, Darkush, Sarmada, Syria; [SDGT] (Linked To: ISIS).
GENERATION CURRENCY BUREAU DE CHANGE LIMITED; Lagos, Nigeria; RC 1555604; [SDGT] (Linked To: Mukhtar Adamu / ISIS network).
MANHATTAN BUREAU DE CHANGE LIMITED; No. 59 Murtala Mohammed Way, Wapa, Kano, Nigeria; RC 1763824; [SDGT] (Linked To: Mukhtar Adamu / ISIS network).
NINE TO NINE EXCHANGE BUREAU DE CHANGE LIMITED; Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria; RC 1462752; [SDGT] (Linked To: Mukhtar Adamu / ISIS network).
SPIDER GAYRIMENKUL VE GENEL TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (a.k.a. SPIDER MONEY TRANSFER COMPANY; SPIDER TICARET); Istanbul, Türkiye; [SDGT] (Linked To: ISIS).
The U.S. reaffirmed its “strong partnership with Nigeria,” which joined the United States in the May 16, 2026, operation that resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the number two official in ISIS.
Pigott said the United States would continue to apply diplomatic and legal 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. We remain fully committed to protecting American lives, defending religious minorities, and working with international partners to eliminate the threat that ISIS poses to global peace and security,” he said.
The action, according to the statement, was taken under Executive Order 13224, as amended.
It also noted that ISIS, formerly known as al-Qa’ida in Iraq, was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organisation in 2004.
Daily NewsCraft reports that the Federal Government had, in April, named 48 individuals and 12 entities allegedly linked to terrorism financing, as part of intensified efforts to disrupt extremist funding networks in Nigeria.
The list was published by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee, which operates under the Office of the National Security Adviser, and is responsible for implementing sanctions in line with international obligations.
It would be recalled that that Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, sentenced Halima Haliru Umar to 20 years in prison after she was convicted of unlawful possession of 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and attempting to support acts of terrorism.
The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Umar in Plateau State and charged her with four counts. On March 11, she pleaded guilty to counts three and four, which related to unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to render support for terrorism.