Jubilee Campaign has joined other organizations in outwardly wondering why the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria has not been declared a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.
Spokesman Greg Treat says Jubilee Campaign has issued numerous reports and held congressional briefings and met with State Department officials presenting clear information about the deadly campaign against Christians, government officials, policy, and the military in Nigeria.
"There are even indications al-Qaeda affiliates have sent large sums of money for operational costs; that is to fund the attacks on innocent civilians, blowing up Christians in churches," Treat says.
"These are clearly terrorists," he continues. "Their friends are terrorists. Their mentors and the people they imitate are terrorists. So we've been really disturbed by the U.S. government's lack of response on this issue." And reasons have not been forthcoming either, he adds.
Treat explains that if the State Department were to recognize Boko Haram, it would authorize the government to take action the group, such as freezing assets or refusing to allow members entry into the U.S.
"It would be a necessary first step in pushing back on this problem," he comments.
Thousands of lives have been lost in the last three years, with a disproportionate number of the attacks coming on Sundays and on churches. In fact, Treat notes there has been an attack by Boko Haram on the average of every four days during that period.
Treat encourages people to sign a petition on the Jubilee Campaign website urging the U.S. government to take action.