U.N. Security Council Blacklists Boko Haram, Imposes Sanctions

The U.N. Security Council al Qaeda sanctions committee blacklisted Nigeria’s Islamist militant group Boko Haram on Thursday after the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls, diplomats said.

The sanctions on the group include an international asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. Until recently, Nigeria had been reluctant to seek international help to combat Boko Haram.

It will be recalled that Nigeria requested the listing of Boko Haram earlier this week. United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said in a statement:

“Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities. By adding Boko Haram to the UN’s 1267 (al Qaeda) sanctions list, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions,” she said.

Boko Haram kidnapped more than 250 girls from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria on April 14 and has threatened to sell them into slavery.