The United States government has blacklisted three Nigerian Bureau de Change (BDC) operators and a Lagos resident over their alleged involvement in a global financial network backing the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
In a statement on Monday, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigot announced sanctions against a total of three individuals and six entities accused of facilitating cross-border financial transactions for ISIS.
According to Pigot, the illicit network spanned Nigeria, France, Syria, and Turkey, utilizing money exchange businesses to move funds.
The US Department of the Treasury identified the Nigerian facilitator as Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu, a 35-year-old operating out of Agege, Lagos. US officials allege that Adamu used local BDCs as conduits to funnel money to ISIS-West Africa.
The three sanctioned Nigerian BDCs, which are linked to Adamu, include:
Generation Currency Bureau de Change Limited (Lagos)
Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau de Change Limited (Lagos)
Manhattan Bureau de Change Limited Kano)
Under the sanctions, all assets and interests in property of the designated individuals and entities that are within US jurisdiction have been blocked, and US citizens are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
Profiles of the Sanctioned Individuals and Entities
Individuals
Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu (Nigeria): A Nigerian national born in August 1990. Resident of Agege, Lagos. Sanctioned for his links to ISIS-West Africa.
Abdelhakim Boukich (Syria/Netherlands): Also known as “Abu Sulayman Al-Holandi.” Born in The Hague, Netherlands. Sanctioned for direct links to ISIS.
Miloud Abderrahmane (France): Also known as “Ibrahim Ghazi.” A French national associated with cryptocurrency addresses used for ISIS funding.
Entities
Generation Currency Bureau de Change Limited (Nigeria): Registered in Lagos on January 9, 2019 (RC 1555604). Linked to Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu.
Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau de Change Limited (Nigeria): Located at Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Registered on August 22, 2017 (RC 1462752). Linked to Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu.
Manhattan Bureau de Change Limited (Nigeria):** Located in Wapa, Kano. Registered on January 26, 2021 (RC 1763824). Linked to Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu.
Alkaram Danismanlik Gayrimenkul (Turkey): A real estate and financial transfer firm based in Fatih, Istanbul. Linked to ISIS.
Spider Gayrimenkul ve Genel Ticaret (Turkey): A real estate and money transfer firm based in Istanbul. Linked to ISIS.
Bitcoin Exchange Agent Idlib’s No. 1 Coin Exchange (Syria): A cryptocurrency exchange operating in Idlib and Sarmada, Syria. Linked to ISIS.
