The Federal Government on Saturday placed a negotiator, Tukur Mamu, Simon Ekpa, and 46 other individuals and entities on its sanctions list over alleged involvement in terrorism financing and related activities.
It alleged that Mamu participated in terrorism financing by receiving and delivering ransom payments exceeding $200,000 to ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages from the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
“Participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransom payments over the sum of $200,000 US dollars in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack,” the government stated.
Also named is one Abdulsamat Ohida, alleged to be a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province in Okene.
In the list published on the Nigeria Sanctions Committee’s website on Saturday, the government linked Ohida to the June 5, 2022, deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, and the July 5, 2022, assault on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
The committee alleged that Ekpa “was reported to have ordered attacks on government facilities,” “through his social media handles, particularly X (former Twitter)”.
“The subject was reported to have facilitated about 49 fundraisers in different countries between October 2023 to September 2024.
“Through his social media handles, particularly X (former Twitter), the subject was reported to have ordered attacks on government facilities, especially military and paramilitary formations across the southeast; these actions resulted in the monumental loss of lives of security personnel and vulnerable population and caused the destruction of government and public properties,” it stated on its website.
Also listed was one Mohammed Sani, alleged to be a member of the Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam (ANSARU), a group associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
According to the government, Sani was trained under one Muktar Belmokhtar, also known as “One Eyed,” and allegedly specialised in designing clandestine communication codes and improvised explosive devices.
He was further described as an alleged courier and travel guide for AQIM operatives in Algeria and Mali, and was alleged to have escaped during the Kuje prison break in July 2022.
Another alleged senior ISWAP commander in Okene, one Abdurrahman Abdurrahman, was also named.
“The group emerged in 2012 as the North-Central wing of Boko Haram and later re-aligned with ISWAP after the death of its leader in 2016.
“The group has been linked to attacks around the Federal Capital Territory and the South-West, including the Owo church attack,” the government claimed.
One Fatima Ishaq was listed as an alleged financial courier to ISWAP Okene, allegedly responsible for disbursing funds to widows and families of fighters.
One Yusuf Ghazali was also named for allegedly transferring ₦20 million in 2015 to one Surajo Abubakar Muhammad and ₦40 million to one Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, both alleged to be convicts.
The government also alleged that one Abubakar Adamu, also known as Yellow, received ₦189 million from Ghazali between 2016 and 2018 and had alleged financial links with the group’s leader, one Alhaji Saidu Ahmed.
One Usama Muhammad was listed by the committee and alleged to be a major contact in Zamfara State, allegedly receiving ₦57 million from one Yawale Muhammad between 2014 and 2017 and maintaining transactions with Muhammad and one Saidu Ahmed.
Other individuals listed as alleged financiers by the sanctions committee were one Abubakar Muhammad, Allamudeen Hassan, Adamu Ishak, Hassana Isah, Abdulkareem Musa, Umar Abdullahi, Abdurrahman Ado, Bashir Yusuf, Ibrahim Alhassan, Muhammad Isah, Salihu Adamu, Surajo Mohammad, Fannami Bukar, Muhammed Musa, Sahabi Ismail, Mohammed Buba, and Adamu Hassan.
Also included alleged financiers were one Hassan Mohammed, Usman Abubakar, Kubara Salawu, Rabiu Suleiman, Godstime Iyare, Francis Mmaduabuchi, John Onwumere, Chukwuka Eze, Edwin Chukwuedo, Chiwendu Owoh, Ginika Orji, Awo Uchechukwu, Mercy Ali, Ohagwu Juliana, Eze Okpoto, Nwaobi Chimezie, and Ogumu Kewe.
Entities listed as alleged financiers were Jama’atu Wal-Jihad, Ansarul Sudan (ANSARU), Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Indigenous Biafra (IPOB), Yan Group, and Yan Group NLBDG.
