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Nigeria: Boko Haram, Jama’atu Ansaru declared terrorist organizations
Nigeria has formally declared the Boko Haram Islamist sect and Jama’atu Ansaru, its suspected offshoot, “terrorist” groups and issued a law to ban them, a presidential statement said on Tuesday.
“President Goodluck Jonathan has formally approved the proscription of Boko Haram and authorized the gazetting of an order declaring the group’s activities illegal and acts of terrorism,” said the statement from his office.
The ban “affects both Boko Haram (Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad) and another group – Jama’atu Ansaru Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan”, it said.
It officially brings the activities of both groups within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention Act and any persons associated with the two groups can now be legally prosecuted and sentenced to penalties specified in the law, the statement added.
The law prescribes a prison term of “not less than 20 years” for anybody who solicits or gives any form of support, including financial and logistics, to the groups.
Boko Haram has waged terrorist attacks since 2009.
Jonathan declared a state of emergency last month in three northern states – Adamawa, Borno, Yobe – the strongholds of the sect and launched ground and aerial attacks to flush out the Islamists.
Jama’atu Ansaru is believed to have links of some kind with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, al-Qaeda’s north African wing and has been mentioned in connection with a number of kidnappings and hostage-takings.
Copyright 2013 AFP