U.S. blacklists six Nigerians for financing Boko Haram

The United States Friday added six Nigerians to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons due to their support of Boko Haram.

According to a statement by Ned Price, spokesperson of the U.S. department of state, “the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added Nigerian nationals Abdurrahman Musa, Salihu Adamu, Bashir Yusuf, Muhammed Isa, Ibrahim Alhassan, and Surajo Muhammad to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.”

The six Nigerians were blacklisted for financing the activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, who have in atleast the past 10 years been responsible for insecurity in Northeastern Nigeria as well as in neighbouring countries..

The group’s activities have caused over 100,000 deaths in Northern Nigeria since 2009, according to official figures.

“Pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Boko Haram,” Mr Price said.

He noted that the U.S. action follows the United Arab Emirates’ prosecution and conviction of the individuals for supporting terrorism.

The Department of State designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organisation on November 14, 2013.

According to a Daily Trust report, the six persons were convicted by an Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over alleged funding of the terrorist group.

Two of the convicts, Surajo Muhammad and Salihu Adamu, were sentenced to life imprisonment while the remaining four, Ibrahim Alhassan, AbdurRahman Musa, Bashir Yusuf and Muhammad Isa were jailed for 10 years each.