The U.S. said on Thursday that it decided to designate three
leaders of Boko Haram as terrorists because their plans had gone beyond
discrediting the Nigerian Government.
Mr Johnnie Carson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for
African Affairs, made the clarification at a news conference in Abuja.
"We have not designated the entire organisation; we
constantly keep that under review, but we have designated the three top leaders
we believe to be out establishing broader terrorist networks.
"They have a broader jihadist agenda that goes beyond
simply discrediting the Nigerian government."
Carson, who spoke on 'Presidential Policy Directive on
Sub-Saharan Africa' at the U.S. Embassy, said the activities of the group also
served as a major concern to neighbouring countries.
"The issue of Boko Haram is not only of major concern
to Nigeria, but to neighbouring countries. Boko Haram, we believe, comprises
several different kinds of groups.
"We believe that the Boko Haram movement is trying to
do everything in its power to show that the government is ineffective in the
defence of its people and in the protection of government institutions."
Carson reiterated the U.S. Government's commitment to
maintaining a high degree of security presence in its embassies globally.
It will be recalled that the U.S. on June 22 labelled the
acclaimed leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, and two others - Abubakar Adam
Kambar and Khalid al-Barnawi - as global terrorists.
A statement by the State Department said the designation
under Executive Order 13224, "blocks all of Shekau's, Kambar's and
al-Barnawi's property interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S.
persons from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of these
individuals". (NAN)
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