Facts have emerged as to why the Federal Government, prominent scholars and diplomats are vehemently opposed to the move by the United States (US) to formally list Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO).
The federal government raised its objection to the plan ahead of last Tuesday's meeting of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, with top White House and State Department officials in Washington DC.
Nigeria's Ambassador to the US, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, who confirmed Azazi's meeting with the American officials, said the government was opposed to such a designation because it might subject Nigerian travellers to intensive search and scrutiny around the world, especially in western capitals and cities.
Ambassador Adefuye in his defence of government's action, said he feared the likelihood of Nigerians being opened to all kinds of harassments at international airports once such a designation comes from the U.S., including intensive and intrusive body searches.
The envoy said the government would on its own contain the Boko Haram menace as it did in quelling the militancy in the Niger Delta region of the country.
Gen. Azazi, accompanied by Adefuye, met with White House officials and was billed later same day to attend another parley at the State Department, which had come under pressure both from the American Congress and the Justice Department to declare Boko Haram a global terror group.
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Of course Boko Haram is a global terror group. Example is Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab the Nigerian terrorist in botched terror attack aboard Northwest Airlines flight. Nigerian politicians are concerned about the implication on them not for the interest of poor Nigerians. Africans traveling abroad have been suffering all sorts of humiliation by Western authorities and Afrincan leaders have never shown interest to address the abuse on their people. They shouldn't use it this time as an excuse. Obama should take urgent action before Nigeria start exporting terrorists to the West. Africa miss Gorge.W. Bush; he wouldn't have hesitated to invade Nigeria and send all politicians (Sponsors of terror)to Guantanamo Bay and replace a Lady as Nigerian president like he did in Liberia. Nigeria and the entire Africa need women to take over leadership. Men are selfish tyrants that use tribal hatred and Religious bigotry to hold grip on power. To stop Nigeria from exporting terrorists any Nigerian politician that steps foot abroad should be arrested and sent to Guantanamo Bay without jugement.
Somebody out there should tell that clawn to back off. The day before yesterday,Gen.Andy Azazi called a sapade a spade.But yesterday after his initiation into the PDP cult,he started calling a spade an agric instrument.The Boko Haram terrorism is caused by poverty becaus the Islmic North doesn't get enought allotment from our Southern oil money according to him. Now the clawn is off to America telling the Americans that the Boko Haram terrorists are freedom fighters. They are fighting perhaps against Christian domination and deprivation of their Islmic North. Chineke! Azazi is not only a traitor.He is one of those reprobates and opportunists running our moribund country.Damn you Gen.Andy Azazi.You are disgrace.
THE REASON WHY THE GOVT IS FIGHTING TO PROTECT BH IS SIMPLE. U.S INTELIGENCE AGENCIES KNOW THOSE WHO ARE BEHING BOKO HARAM (THEIR SPONSORS) AND WILL RELEASE THEIR NAMES WHEN BH IS LISTED WHERE IT BELONGS (FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION)
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NOTE THAT UNITED STATES IS NOT ABOUT TO DESIGNATE NIGERIA A TERRORIST STATE. THIS MATTER CONCERNS ONLY BOKO HARAM. ISN'T IT ILLOGICAL THAT THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IS FIGHTING TO PROTECT A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HARDSHIP TO NIGERIANS.