The United States government has explained why it
could not classify Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) as
demanded by some Nigerians.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Johnnie Carson, said the Islamist insurgent group is not classified as
terrorist organisation because only three of its topmost leaders have what he
called “broad jihadist agenda and network of connections with the al-Qaeda.”
Carson was speaking during a world press conference
via satellite tagged “Virtual Press Briefing on the Presidential Policy
Direction of the US Policy Strategy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa,” yesterday.
He said the insurgents are only interested in
destabilising the government of Goodluck Jonathan and present it as ineffective
and weak.
“Boko Haram is a major concern to Nigeria and her
neighbours. The bulk of Boko Haram members are bent on discrediting the
government of President Goodluck Jonathan and portray it as ineffective and
preoccupy it with national disaffection.
“They are not engaged in external spreading of
terrorism, hence their preoccupation with internal insurrection,” he said.
Only three of the Boko Haram sect top leaders were
classified by the US as terrorists in a recent pronouncement prompting outrage
among the Nigerian citizens particularly the Christian community, which has
largely borne the brunt of incessant attacks by the sect. They demand that the
entire group be classified as FTO to enable the US get more involved in
tackling their deadly activities.
Leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who addressed a section of the US Congress,
early this year asked President Obama to declare Boko Haram, a terrorist group
to stem the increasing attacks of the insurgent group on Nigerians.
Boko Haram has killed scores of people in suicide
and coordinated gun attacks since the insurgents began multiple attacks on
security agencies, individuals and religious groups in 2009.
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