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| ISIS Terrorist |
A Lagos residence identified by the United States government as belonging to an alleged Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) financial facilitator has been deserted for years, a Sunday PUNCH investigation has revealed.
The property, a dark cream-coloured bungalow located at No. 45, Abimbola Street, Morkaz, Agege, was recently blacklisted by the U.S. Department of State. American authorities claim it is the residence of Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, a Nigerian national accused of moving funds to support global ISIS operations.
A physical inspection of the site by Sunday PUNCH showed the building firmly locked with no signs of recent habitation. Situated between houses 43 and 47, the bungalow’s windows were tightly shut, its door handles rusted, and its iron doors partially sealed with concrete.
The investigation follows Washington’s sweeping sanctions against Muhammad and three Nigerian Bureau De Change (BDC) firms linked to an international terrorism financing ring. The sanctioned entities include Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited, Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited, and Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records reveal a web of shared directorships among the firms. Adamu Muhammad Mukhar and Chiroma Adamu are listed as directors across all three companies, with Mukhar also serving as company secretary. Shareholders include Adamu Chiroma Fatima and Adamu Chiroma Maryam. While Manhattan BDC remains active, both Generation Currency and Nine to Nine Exchange are currently listed as inactive on the CAC portal.
Neighborhood in Shock
The U.S. announcement has sent shockwaves through the quiet neighborhood, located near the prominent Markaz Islamic Centre in Agege’s Papa Ashafa area. Local residents expressed disbelief that their community had drawn international counter-terrorism scrutiny.
"This area is mainly occupied by Hausa people, but I have never seen anything that would suggest criminal activities or terrorist operations here," said Hajia, 58, a local food vendor who has lived on the street for six years. "What surprised me most is how America even knew Abimbola Street and the exact house number. I don't know anybody called Muhammad Mukhtar."
Another resident, Alhaji Suleiman Tijani, noted that while the house had been empty for roughly two years, occasional maintenance visits occurred. "Sometimes, I noticed people would come around to clean the place, stay for a few days and leave, but they have never carried out any act that could raise suspicion," Tijani said.
Tijani added that local police presence has noticeably spiked since the American declaration. "On Tuesday, I noticed police patrol vans passing through this area about four different times. They simply drove around; nobody was arrested and no resident was questioned."
The sudden security scrutiny has sparked anxiety among some locals. Auwal, a resident who initially dismissed the reports as rumor, expressed fear that security agencies might "start arresting innocent residents while searching for this person." Conversely, Mrs. Angela Nwoboku, a local fashion designer, reported that daily business remained calm but urged intelligence agencies to conduct targeted investigations to avoid unfairly profiling law-abiding citizens.
Local Agencies on the Trail
The Lagos State Government has distanced itself from immediate administrative action regarding the property. When contacted, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed there are no plans to demolish the structure.
"The issue is beyond the Lagos State Government," Omotoso stated, clarifying that terrorism and national security mandates fall strictly under federal jurisdiction.
At the federal level, an absolute security clampdown is underway, though no arrests had been made as of Saturday. High-ranking sources within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that Muhammad and his associates remain at large but are actively being tracked.
"Terrorism financing cases are very complex. The networks are global and have to be trailed to identify their local collaborators," a senior security source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "Those sanctioned by the U.S. are yet to be arrested... but everything about them is known to the EFCC and DSS, which investigated them. There’s no hiding place. The world is a global village."
Insiders within the EFCC revealed that Nigerian intelligence had actually been building a case against Muhammad and the three BDCs prior to the unilateral U.S. sanctions. "We investigated these individuals and the BDC companies for terrorism financing and were preparing charges against them when the U.S. sanctioned them," an EFCC source confirmed.
The joint EFCC and DSS probe remains ongoing, focusing on irregular financial flows, high-value suspicious transactions, and direct links to active insurgent theaters.