How Boko Haram’s New Status As A Foriegn Terrorist Organisation Will Affect Ordinary Nigerians

The Government of the United States has labelled Boko Haram, as well as its offshoot Ansaru, a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Since the news reached Nigeria, many Nigerians have voiced their approval… and concerns that the development may do more harm than good.


The decision to declare Boko Haram and Ansaru as FTOs was taken at a meeting at the State Department on Friday,  November 8, 2013. According to the announcement made by the U.S. State Department, members of both sects could be tracked down anywhere in the world and face prosecution in the U.S. Also, any business or financial transactions with the sects is to be made illegal.

The development means that Boko Haram and Ansaru would be treated by the U.S. government as other terrorist organizations. Namely, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabbab, Taliban in Afghanistan, Haqqani in Pakistan, Hamas in the Middle East, Mujoa and Ansar Dine in Mali. These are global networks of jihadist organizations that want to institute orthodox theocratic states based on Islamic tenets and doctrines. They have relied on criminal activities such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling and kidnapping to raise funds for their campaign of terror worldwide.

However, Nigerians are now anxious to know how their travelling plans, or monetary transaction and transferring operations will be affected by the extra attention from the U.S. law enforcement agencies.

Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. Ade Adefuye

It will be recalled that last year, Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. Ade Adefuye named five reasons why Nigeria asked the U.S. Congress not to include Boko Haram in their most-wanted organisation list. First of all, he said, that would mean Nigeria was not able to deal with the sect. Secondly, that could prompt othe terrorist cells to acknowledge Boko Haram and support them. Then, foreign investors would be discouraged from taking interest in Nigeria if it was to be named an unsafe area.

Futhermore, Mr. Adefuye maintained, although U.S. said Boko Haram poses a threat to them, in reality it does not. Why then not to declare Niger Delta militant groups an FTO, he asked rhetorically. And finally, with the U.S. naming Boko Haram a terrorist organization would mean Nigerians being exposed to “horrendous search at U.S. entry points,” and that, too, is a negative aftermath.

Following the latest develoment, the Ambassador had this to say: ”For the past couple of months, this embassy successfully countered pressures from religious organizations and politicians both in Nigeria and the US on the American government to make this declaration.

“Our belief then was that the twin-track approach of enforcement and dialogue adopted by the Nigerian Government would make Boko Haram see reason. Regrettably, the continued intransigence of the sect compelled our government to proscribe the organization on June 4, 2013.

“We have taken note of the statement by host authorities that the latest action is meant to enhance further co-operation between Nigeria and the US in tackling this issue. The Government of Nigeria remains committed to bringing to an end the atrocities of Boko Haram in collaboration with our foreign partners.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Boko Haram and its splinter Islamist groups are among deadliest terrorist group in the world and pose a deadly threat to security in Nigeria, as well as in the Sahel region. Moreover, despite a six-month emergency rule (that President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking to extend) imposed in the three Northern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, terrorists continue to attack both civilians and military officers, murdering hundreds.

“They [Boko Haram] have not spared anybody. They destroy churches. Before, we thought their target were only Christians. But now they have come to show us that they do not want peace. They do not want to live in harmony. They attack pastors. They attack Imams. We have had people bombed in the mosque,” Nigerians lament.

“They will get what they deserve?”

According to a presidency source, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has been pleading against the U.S. labeling Boko Haram and Ansaru as international terrorists, “because of the implications against their members and their supporters.” But, the source said, since the insurgents have not ceased to kill innocent people, they deserved the action.

Another security source maintained that a number of American Congressmen and some Nigerians living in the US visited Nigeria and met some victims of the terror attacks, as well as Pastor Ayo Oritsajafor, who led the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) team. The foreign delegation was urged to press the U.S. government to designate the Boko Haram and Ansaru as FTO.

CAN fears for Nigeria’s reputation

Dauda Yakubu is the secretary of the CAN in Kaduna. He said he feared the label would damage the reputation of the country and scare away developers.

“I believe any state or any country or any nation that is involved in terrorist issues has no development and there will never be peace in that country,” he said.

“Innocent Nigerians to pay the price”

Some sources in Foreign Affairs Ministry reckon that, while affecting members of Boko Haram, the development will certainly affect “innocent Nigerians”: “While the issue of who is innocent is purely subjective so we as citizens of Nigeria will have to pay the price”.

It has also been learnt that Nigerians who have visited Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Algeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Libya, Niger, Yemen, and Chad, where Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are known to operate, are marked for special security scrutiny in the United States.

Edward Oformeh, a lawyer in the Niger Delta, says besides the carnage up North, the entire national economy is reeling as food prices soar with fewer northern meat and vegetable imports. The U.S. involvement, he thinks, could potentially be a good thing.

“They have recognized the Boko Haram as their enemy, so they will not wait until they come and do a serious havoc on them before they go after them,” he says.

But Oforomeh also said Nigerians should be “wary” of American involvement, pointing out that Nigeria does not want to suffer the fate of Pakistan, with the United States fighting militants from other countries on their soil.