Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode says the United States government is guilty of spreading Boko Haram insurgency in the country by refusing to classify the group as a terrorist organisation until 2014.
“The US govt. helped BH immensely by refusing to classify them as a terrorist org. until 2014 and by refusing to sell us arms to fight them,” Fani-Kayode wrote on Twitter today.
The US government had in November 2013 designated terrorist group Boko Haram and its splinter faction Ansaru as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. The group had already killed thousands following the commencement of its violent campaign in 2009. Ansaru had since gone silent with Boko Haram becoming stronger and pledging allegiance to terror group ISIS.
A statement by the US State Department at the time said: “These designations are an important and appropriate step, but only one tool in what must be a comprehensive approach by the Nigerian government to counter these groups through a combination of law enforcement, political, and development efforts, as well as military engagement, to help root out violent extremism while also addressing the legitimate concerns of the people of northern Nigeria. All of our assistance to Nigeria stresses the importance of protecting civilians and ensuring that human rights are respected. That assistance and these designations demonstrate U.S. support for the Nigerian people’s fight against Boko Haram and Ansaru.”
Boko Haram has now killed more than 13,000 people and has displaced more than 1.5 million people.
The US govt. helped BH immensly by refusing to classify them as a terrorist org. until 2014 and by refusing to sell us arms to fight them.
— Olufemi Olu-Kayode (@realFFK) July 23, 2015
