Investigation Finds Alleged ISIS Financier's Lagos House Deserted

An investigation by Sunday PUNCH has uncovered that a property in Lagos, designated by the United States as the home of a Nigerian implicated in funding the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has been vacant for several years. Locals in the tranquil Agege area expressed unawareness of the individual in question and never imagined their neighbourhood could be connected to a global terrorism funding operation.

Upon visiting No. 45, Abimbola Street, Morkaz, Agege—the exact location cited by the US Department of State as the abode of Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, the alleged ISIS financial facilitator—Sunday PUNCH correspondents discovered a securely locked structure devoid of any indicators of recent occupancy. The cream-coloured bungalow, situated between properties 43 and 47, presented a desolate appearance. Its metal doors, partially cemented, were tightly shut, door handles showed signs of rust, and all windows were closed, leaving no trace of life or movement within or surrounding the premises.

This on-site inspection occurred shortly after the American government levied sanctions against Muhammad and three Nigerian Bureau de Change (BDC) companies for their purported involvement in a transnational ISIS financial scheme. A statement released by the US Department of State on June 22, 2026, identified Muhammad (also known as Mukhtar Muhammad), along with Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited, Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited, and Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited, as integral components of a network allegedly facilitating financial transfers for ISIS activities across West Africa and other regions.

The specific address provided by the US for Muhammad was No. 45, Abimbola Street, off Capital Road, Morkaz, Agege, Lagos State. However, the revelation of these allegations has deeply unsettled residents on Abimbola Street, a bustling area near the prominent Markaz Islamic Centre in the populous Papa Ashafa neighbourhood.

Community members were observed congregating in small clusters, exchanging thoughts on what they termed the most significant news ever linked to their street. They articulated profound shock that their locality had abruptly become the focus of adverse international scrutiny. While certain residents informed Sunday PUNCH that the last occupants departed the premises approximately two years prior, this assertion could not be independently confirmed, nor could any association between those former residents and Muhammad be established. Regardless, the building displayed no recent signs of human presence.

Locating the specific property presented a challenge, as it lacked a visible house number, unlike its neighbouring structures. It was only with the aid of a resident, who chose to remain anonymous due to security concerns, that our reporters were able to pinpoint the precise building. Two provision shops operating adjacent to the premises were open, but their owners declined to offer any statements, claiming no knowledge of the situation.

Abimbola Street serves as a connector to numerous major thoroughfares, such as Markaz Road, Oniwaya Road, Owo Street, Adenle Street, Taiwo Dada Street, and Ayeni Street. Additionally, this street is home to the well-known Harisiyya Mosque, popularly referred to as the White Mosque, alongside various local prayer facilities.

Hajia, a 58-year-old food vendor, conveyed her struggle to reconcile the accusations with her understanding of the community. She remarked, “This area is mainly occupied by Hausa people, but I have never seen anything that would suggest criminal activities or terrorist operations here. What surprised me the most is how America even knew Abimbola Street and the exact house number. I am standing at Number 44 now, but I don’t know anybody called Muhammad Mukhtar. I have lived here for six years.”

Alhaji Suleiman Tijani, who has resided in the vicinity for approximately ten years, also described the area as tranquil. He stated, “There has never been any history of violence or radical activities here. This is a quiet community. That particular house has been unoccupied for a long time. 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.”

Nevertheless, Tijani noted an apparent increase in police patrol presence in the area following the US government's announcement. He explained, “You know Markaz attracts important personalities regularly, and security operatives often accompany them. But 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.”

Auwal, another local, mentioned that he initially disregarded the reports until he heard them being debated on a radio newspaper review show. He remarked, “I thought it was just another rumour. I know the Americans have sophisticated technology for tracking people, but I never imagined our street, which has never had any history of violence, could be mentioned in connection with terrorism financing.” He further voiced apprehension that law-abiding citizens might be subjected to arbitrary security crackdowns.

“My fear is that security agencies may start coming here to arrest innocent residents while searching for this person,” Auwal elaborated.

However, it became apparent that not all community members were aware of the allegations. Mrs. Angela Nwoboku, a fashion designer, indicated that she only became informed of the situation through Sunday PUNCH. She stated, “I had not heard about it before now because nobody informed me, and I have not seen it in the news. I have not noticed any change in this area. Everything has remained the way it has always been. People go about their normal businesses peacefully.”

Nwoboku credited the serene atmosphere in the neighbourhood to the presence and influence of the Markaz Islamic Centre. “I think the Muslim school here, Markaz, has actually made this area peaceful and calm. We have always lived together without problems,” she added.

She implored residents to refrain from premature judgments and called upon security agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the claims. “I want the government to carry out proper due diligence and establish whether the owners or occupants of that house truly have anything to do with terrorism. It is important that innocent people are not wrongly labelled because of where they live,” she concluded.

Regarding the property's fate, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, informed Sunday PUNCH that the state government has no intention of demolishing the structure identified by the US. He clarified that issues concerning terrorism and national security are the purview of federal security apparatuses. “The issue is beyond the Lagos State Government,” Omotoso affirmed.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that despite investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) having progressed significantly, no arrests have yet been carried out. Sources indicated that while the EFCC and DSS had finalized their inquiries into the suspects prior to the US sanctions announcement, none of the individuals named had been apprehended as of Saturday.

A senior security official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public comment, confirmed that the suspects and their alleged collaborators are currently under surveillance. The source highlighted that probing terrorism financing necessitates meticulous intelligence collection, given that such networks span numerous jurisdictions.

“Terrorism financing cases are very complex. The networks are global and have to be trailed to identify their local collaborators. It’s not a press-button thing. We are still on it,” the official explained. They further clarified, “Those sanctioned by the U.S. are yet to be arrested and are not in the custody of any Nigerian security agency, but everything about them is known to the EFCC and DSS, which investigated them.”