US Names Two Boko Haram Leaders for Sanctions

The US Department of Treasury on Tuesday singled out two leaders of the violent Boko Haram Islamist group for economic sanctions, saying both are closely involved in deadly attacks in Nigeria.

The Treasury Department said Mohammed Nur, a Boko Haram commander who has represented the group in negotiations with the federal government, was placed on its financial blacklist for his involvement in suicide bomb attacks, including one on the United Nations headquarters in Abuja in 2011.

“Nur is a senior Boko Haram member who supports Boko Haram’s campaign of violence against the government of Nigeria,” the Treasury Department said.

The second Boko Haram figure placed on the sanctions’ list is Mustapha Chad, a Chadian national who in 2013 directed Boko Haram activities in Yobe State, the Treasury Department said.

The sanctions, which seek to freeze assets of the individuals and lock them out of the global financial system, add to US designations of Boko Haram as an international terror group two years ago.

The US had also imposed similar sanctions on the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, and other commanders of the group.The Treasury Department pointed out that earlier this year, Boko Haram also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group based in Syria and Iraq.

“From kidnapping schoolgirls to mass fatality terrorist attacks, Boko Haram represents a threat not just to innocents in Nigeria but to all civilised society,” said Treasury acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Adam Szubin, in a statement.

The sanctions came just as several members of the Islamist sect were reportedly killed on Monday by the Nigerian troops in Gulak town in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Confirming the incident, Mallam Lawal Kanuri, the village head of Krichinga, said that the insurgents thronged the town in large numbers and attacked the military base in the town.

He said they succeeded at first in dislodging the troops by attacking the base and burning down the military artillery in Gulak before the army sent in reinforcement to repel the insurgents that took over Gulak town temporarily.

Kanuri explained that as a result of the fierce gun battle between troops and the insurgents that lasted close to six hours, one soldier was killed while the Boko Haram lost many of its members.

He said the insurgents evacuated some dead bodies but still left some corpses that they were unable to evacuate due to the hot pursuit given by the troops.

Giving further insight, residents of the town said that they smelt a rat and wondered how the insurgents almost successfully retook Gulak several months after it was liberated by the troops.

Giving further insight, residents of the town said that they smelt a rat and wondered how the insurgents almost successfully retook Gulak several months after it was liberated by the troops.

Some, who did not want to be named, expressed the view that the soldiers were sabotaged, which paved the way for the insurgents to destroy at least two long-range artillery guns and raze private houses occupied by the soldiers.

A source also revealed that the insurgents laid siege to the town for hours before military reinforcement from nearby Madagali town later engaged them, killing many of them and recovering a truck conveying a large quantity of ammunition and explosives as well as 20 rifles.

The source also indicated that the insurgents took away the corpses of their members and fled through Bitiku village towards Sambisa forest.

“The insurgents invaded Gulak at the weekend and sacked soldiers. All civilians escaped to the mountains and nearby villages. In the morning, we came back but we heard rumours that Boko Haram members were coming again so we fled again,” said one resident.

The attackers came on foot through “Bakin Dose”, a huge rock near Sambisa Forest, taking the soldiers unawares, he revealed.