Security Council, the most powerful arm of the United Nations has formally classified the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram domiciled in Nigeria as an al Qaeda-linked organisation, slamming travel bans and arms embargo on the terrorist organisation, freezing assets known to be properties of persons associated with it.
“Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities,” US ambassador to the UN, Mrs. Samantha Power, told the organisation.
“By adding Boko Haram to the U.N.’s 1267 sanctions list, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions,” she added.
The sanctions came on the heels of Nigeria’s President, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan who had called on the UN to make the move following escalation of attacks by the sect into neighboring nations.
The sect adopted over 200 girls from Chibok, Borno State, North-east Nigeria, threatening that they will only be released in exchange for members of the sect captured by the Nigerian military. But the Nigerian Government has said it will not negotiate with the sect on the abducted girls.
The sect attacked Jos, Plateau State, a relatively peaceful Christian dominated state in the North in a twin bomb blasts, killing at least 118 people.
The sanction which has been applauded by the US is expected to tighten the grip on the sect which has killed hundreds of people since it began its campaign of calumny against the Nigerian state.
