Boko Haram, Reaching the Nadir
Abstract
Since 2009, Boko Haram violence claimed the lives of nearly a thousand civilians and government personnel in northern Nigeria. They illustrated their ability to target Western interests in 2011 when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. This group poses a threat to Nigerian stability and US strategic interests, especially amid fears of collaboration with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Shabaab. Yet despite Congressman Patrick Meehan's recent attempt to persuade Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to add the group to the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, she denied the request on the grounds that Boko Haram is a loosely constructed organization with a local focus. DoS did however, designate three of their senior leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224.5 This positive step should empower the Nigerian government and bring about the demise of Boko Haram by curtailing regional expansion and drying up their support lifeline. Since Nigeria plays such a dominant role in the security of Africa, the United States cannot let them fail. In the event Boko Haram choses a more dangerous path, the United States will be forced to commit more resources to ensure their destruction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- AD1022119
Entities
People
- Joseph Mark
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College