The U.S. has designated
Nigeria’s Boko Haram and Ansaru militant groups as foreign terrorist
organisations.
The state department
described the move as “an important” step to help Nigeria “root out violent
extremism”.
“These designations are an
important and appropriate step, but only one tool in what must be a
comprehensive approach by the Nigerian government to counter these groups,” a
State Department statement said.
This means that the U.S.
justice system is now empowered to block all financial dealings or transactions
between America and these organisations.
The groups have been
responsible for thousands of deaths in northeast and central Nigeria, including
attacks on churches and mosques and a 2011 suicide bombing of the United
Nations building in Abuja, the statement said.
“By cutting these terrorist
organizations off from U.S. financial institutions and enabling banks to freeze
assets held in the United States, these designations demonstrate our strong
support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and its efforts to address
security challenges in the north,” Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama’s top
homeland security and counter terrorism adviser, said in the statement.
“We encourage Nigeria to
pursue a comprehensive counter terrorism approach that uses law enforcement
tools effectively, creates economic opportunity and ensures that human rights
are protected and respected,” she said.
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