The Defense Headquarters (DHQ) is pleased to inform that about 100 US military soldiers and related equipment have arrived at Bauchi Airfield.
During a working group discussion between the Nigerian delegation and its US counterpart, the deployment is discussed.
Following the Federal Government of Nigeria’s explicit request to the US government to support a clearly defined military training need, technical support, and information sharing with the personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the arrival is planned and intentional.
This was stated in the statement that Samaila Uba, the Director of Defense Information, signed.
The partnership would give access to specialist technical capabilities meant to improve Nigeria’s capacity to thwart terrorist threats and safeguard the nation’s most vulnerable areas.
The technical experts in the US are only there to provide training and advice.
They are not military units. Every training exercise shall be carried out in close cooperation with the Nigerian Armed Forces and under the supervision, guidance, and authority of the Nigerian government.
These advisers and Nigerian troops will begin a series of cooperative intelligence-focused cooperation projects and joint training exercises.
These exercises aim to improve Nigerian troops’ ability to recognize and destroy radical terrorist organizations that want to cause instability in the country.
Degrading and eliminating terrorist groups that endanger Nigeria’s sovereignty, national security, and civilian safety is still the top priority for the country’s armed forces.
The DHQ promises to keep Nigerians informed about military cooperation initiatives in a timely, accurate, and transparent manner.
US freezes eight Nigerians’ assets due to connections to ISIL and Boko Haram
Meanwhile, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued new sanctions that have resulted in the freezing of the assets and properties of eight Nigerians who are suspected of having connections to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The announcement was made in a more than 3,000-page sanctions document that was made public over the weekend and included a list of those who had been designated for offenses linked to cybercrime, terrorism, and other national security.
The publication, according to OFAC, acted as an official notice of individuals who were added to its list of Specially Designated Nationals, whose assets were barred under U.S. jurisdiction, and that prohibited U.S.-based businesses and Americans from engaging in business or financial activities with them.
Salih Yusuf Adamu, also called Salihu Yusuf, was indicted for his role in the creation of a Boko Haram fundraising network in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2022, he was allegedly one of six Nigerians convicted of trying to send $782,000 from Dubai to Nigerian rebels.
Babestan Oluwole Ademulero, who was identified under several aliases; Abu Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Barnawi, also known as Ba Idrisa; Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, who was described as a leader of Boko Haram; Khaled Al-Barnawi, who was associated with the group under a variety of names and spellings; Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, who was allegedly based in Abu Dhabi; Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Al-Mainuki, who was sanctioned for alleged ties to ISIL; and Nnamdi Orson Benson, who was designated under cybercrime provisions.
Under the sanctions, any transactions with the individuals under U.S. jurisdiction are severely forbidden, and all of their assets and financial interests are frozen.
Executive Order 13224, which targeted networks that finance and support terrorism, is the legal basis for the measures, according to OFAC.
Due to its involvement in fatal operations in northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, Boko Haram has been on the U.S. government’s list of foreign terrorist organizations since 2013.
This action comes as the U.S. Congress recently called for harsher sanctions against specific Nigerian political figures and organizations, including as asset freezes and visa restrictions, due to claims of insecurity and human rights abuses.
According to U.S. authorities, the penalties were a component of larger initiatives to bolster international counterterrorism enforcement and sever extremist finance networks.
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