The United States of America is expected to, on Thursday (today), designate dreaded sect, Boko Haram, a terrorist organisation.
The designation is also to be accompanied by the freezing of the assets of three identified leaders of the group in the United States of America.
The three Nigerians whose assets are to be freezed and with whom no one with interest in the United States of America should relate are the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, 43; Abubakar Adam Kambar, 35; and Khalid al Barnawi, 36.
The decision to designate Boko Haram a terrorist organisation was eventually taken by the United States of America Department of State after the initial move earlier in the year was stepped down.
A top official of the United States of America’s Department of Justice, Lisa Monaco, had in January written the Department of State that Boko Haram has met the criteria to be classified as a “foreign terrorist” organisation because it engages in terrorism that threatens the United States of America or has the capability or intent to do so.
Monaco said since 2009, Boko Haram had conducted violent attacks on the “police, politicians, public institutions and civilian population” in Nigeria.
She said no fewer than 510 persons were killed by the sect as at 2011.
And in January this year, she said over 160 persons were killed in an attack on Kano city in Kano State.