U.S to fight Boko Haram, Ansaru, lists groups as terror organs

Nigeria yesterday got a major boost in the fight against terror groups when the government of the United States of America (USA) pledged to commit resources in assisting the West African country tackle Boko Haram and Ansaru. A statement issued yesterday from the Information Office of the United States Embassy noted that: “The Department of State has announced the designation of Boko Haram and Ansaru as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224.” “The policy implies that the U.S. Department of State amended its laws to incorporate Boko Haram and Ansaru specifically as foreign terror organisations (FTO).” The consequences of the designation, according to Washington is that: “these FTO and E.O. 13224 designations include a prohibition against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, Boko Haram and Ansaru, and the freezing of all property and interests in property of the organizations that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the control of U.S. persons. The Department of State took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.” Beyond the formal designation of the two groups as terror organisations, the U.S. government also made formal commitment to assist Nigeria fight the groups. It said the designation is just one of the steps to fighting and conquering the terrorist groups. And at a larger scale, “the 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 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.” The U.S. described Boko Haram as a body that “has been conducting an ongoing and brutal campaign against Nigerian military, government, and civilian targets. Among its most lethal attacks, Boko Haram carried out indiscriminate attacks in Benisheikh, Nigeria in September 2013 that killed more than 160 innocent civilians, including women and children. Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based militant group with links to (AQIM) that is responsible for thousands of deaths in northeast and central Nigeria The U.S. Department of State noted that its facts link Boko Haram to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb and Ansaru it identified as Boko Haram splinter faction that earlier in 2013 kidnapped and executed seven international construction workers. While Boko Haram carries out random targeted attacks, it noted that: “Ansaru’s attacks have focused on Nigerian military and Western targets, including an attack it carried out in November 2012 in Abuja and another one targeted at a military peacekeepers convoy in January 2013 in Kogi State on the Lokoja-Abuja road