Group in the United States led by Jubilee Campaign and the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANA) are mobilising thousands of Americans to sign a petition addressed to President Obama, demanding the designation of Islamic sect, Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO).
The organisers are hoping that the petition, which already is on the White House website, will meet necessary requirements with the aim that Obama can give his assent before the end of his first term in January 2013.
The petitioners say they are bothered that despite the unquestionable evidence on the activities of Boko Haram, “the US has refused to designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.”
The petition, which must get 25,000 signatures by December 29, noted that in the last three years, the radical organization has killed over 3,000 Nigerians. It said “they have directly targeted helpless Christians, and any Muslims who dare to disagree with their genocidal ambitions.”
CANAN disclosed it was rallying over 1,000 US-based Nigerian churches to get their members to endorse the petition before the deadline.
The US government in June, declared three leaders of the group as terrorists, while refusing to extend such to the entire group.
There are reports that the Nigerian government was reluctant to have the group label as FTO. Its calculation is that labelling the sect as a threat to world peace may have adverse effect on the country.
The group and the Federal Government some weeks ago initiated moves to reach a truce. However, that development appears to have hit the rocks with the Military declaring leaders of the sect wanted with a bounty of N290 million on their heads.
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