Foreign Terror Groups Fuel Boko Haram-FG

Boko Haram, Islamist extremist group is said to be obtaining increasing cooperation from established terror groups operating in the Sahel and the federal government is waxing worriedly.

Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, national security adviser who spoke at the opening of the he Regional Conference on Counter-Terrorism in Abuja yesterday said that “there is also a thin line between these groups and well known international terrorist network”

“Game changing incidents and sophistication of the emerging terrorist groups has thrown up greater challenges to security and intelligence agencies across the region. For us in Nigeria, we are responding through increased capacity building for security and law enforcement agencies, synergy and collaboration with international partners while evolving an all encompassing counter terrorism strategy tailored to suit our peculiar situation,” he said.

Vice President Namadi Sambo said in his remarks that the Boko Haram sect has transformed in its capabilities within three years by moving away from the use of crude force to carrying coordinated attacks and suicide bombings.

He said that federal government has set up a position of Counter-Terrorism Coordinator in the Office of the National Security Adviser in order to coordinate efforts of the counter-terrorism units in all security agencies.

“Recognising the complex and mutating nature of terrorism, we adopted a comprehensive and overarching counter-terrorism approach that integrates national, regional, multilateral and functional responses” he added.

Some of the far-reaching measures, according to Sambo, were the signing into law on 3rd June, 2011 the Terrorism Prevention Act (TPA) 2011 and the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011. Jonathan added that he has transmitted to the National Assembly, a Bill seeking amendments to the Terrorism Prevention Act, in order to further strengthen the legal framework for combating terrorism.

Boko Haram which means in English “Western education is sinful" is a jihadist militant organisation strongly opposed to man-made laws and modern science.

Founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2001, the organisation seeks to establish sharia law in the country and is also known for attacking Christians and bombing churches