The global effort to ostracise Boko Haram got a major boost on Thursday as the UN Security Council committee on al-Qaeda blacklisted the insurgents.
Although this action is not expected to work like a magic formula against the group that has killed over 10,000 persons since 2009, members of the group are now officially outlaws.
Members of the group will have their assets frozen, while a travel ban and arms embargo will now be placed on them.
The UN action is based on the abductions of schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State ─ for which the group has claimed responsibility.
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“What will the practical impact of that be? Hard to say but it’s an essential step we had to take,” said Australia’s UN ambassador Gary Quinlan, al Qaeda sanctions committee chair.
He, however, said the aim was to dry up support for the group.
“We will work to try and make sure that anybody supplying any material assistance to Boko Haram – whether funding or arms – will in fact be stopped, will be deterred by the fact they too will be eligible for listing on the sanctions list,” he said.
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“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 United Nations Samantha Power said in a statement.
“By adding Boko Haram to the UN’s 1267 (al Qaeda) 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.”
The UN listing entry describes Boko Haram as an affiliate of al Qaeda and the Organization of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
“Boko Haram has maintained a relationship with the Organization of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb for training and material support purposes,” according to the narrative summary accompanying the listing.
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“For example, Boko Haram gained valuable knowledge on the construction of improvised explosive devices from AQIM. A number of Boko Haram members fought alongside al Qaeda affiliated groups in Mali (in) 2012 and 2013 before returning to Nigeria with terrorist expertise,” it said.
3 comments
How are the members and how can you determine what their assets are?
No doubt this also will go some way to help ostracize this deadly group that has caused so much blood, anguish and tears in the land. Anything that would contribute to making life uncomfortable to the insurgents must be embraced. We commend the UN for this gesture of support.
Oh my country! Now that the perfect enemy is planted and harvested …..the article says, “members of the group will have their assets frozen, while a travel ban and arms embargo will now be placed on them….the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram”…So for all this while, the UN security council knows them, knows their sponsors, and know those whole sale weapons to them?”…. The real hypocrite will soon be exposed. May God save my country from the US, UN and their allies.