Nigerian Islamist fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram was on Wednesday formally designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States of America, putting an end to more than a year of dilly-dallying by the State Department.
Asides Boko Haram, which is thought to maintain ties with notorious terrorist group, al-Qaeda, the U.S. also added Boko Haram’s breakaway group, Ansaru, to its list of foreign terrorist organisations.
With this move, other U.S. agencies, such as the U.S. Treasury Department can now disconnect both groups from their money flow while U.S. and other law enforcement partners will be better positioned to investigate and prosecute terrorist suspects associated with the groups.
“The designations are only one tool in what must be a comprehensive approach by the Nigerian government to counter these groups through a combination of law enforcement, political, and development efforts, as well as military engagement, to help root out violent extremism while also addressing the legitimate concerns of the people of northern Nigeria”, one official said.
In its own statement, the State Department described Boko Haram as a “Nigeria-based militant group with links to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb that is responsible for thousands of deaths in northeast and central Nigeria over the last several years including targeted killings of civilians.
“These designations will assist U.S. and other law enforcement partners in efforts to investigate and prosecute terrorist suspects associated with Boko Haram and Ansaru”.
Praising the move, Rep. Ed Royce, California Republican and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee described Boko Haram, which translates into “education is prohibited”, as another example of how the threat of al-Qaeda is spreading.
“For years, the ‘Nigerian Taliban’ has been working to impose its strict ways in the country’s Muslim north. Once believed to be strictly local, its fighters are increasingly linking up with other al Qaeda linked groups in the region,” Royce said.
“The United States has a security interest in seeing a stable Nigeria. Designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization will allow U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies the necessary authority to freeze Boko Haram’s assets and to stop entities providing support to the organisation.”
U.S. authorities initially refrained from including Boko Haram to the country’s list of foreign terrorist organisations in the hope that the Nigerian government would pull off peaceful negotiations with the sect. But with the failure of all efforts towards peaceful negotiations, that hope is believed to be impossible.
Adoke Laud US Action
Commenting on the move, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke welcomed the US’s position and saluted the US Government for partnering with the Federal Government to stamp out terrorism.
“This step will assist this nation to deal with these renegades. It will also help in strengthening the proscription of Boko Haram by the Federal Government”, he said.
“We urge other super powers to emulate the US Government to check terrorism in any part of the world. A threat to any nation by the insurgents is a threat to global peace”.
