After postponing the inevitable for more than a year, President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday finally approved the proscription of the Islamic terrorist groups, Boko Haram and Ansaru, and authorised the gazetting of an order declaring the groups’ activities illegal and acts of terrorism.

THISDAY had exclusively reported Tuesday that the president was about to issue a Proscriptive Order, effectively declaring Boko Haram a “terrorist organisation”, a designation the federal government had lobbied the United States (US) government not to use when it froze the US-based assets belonging to the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau and three other members of the group, a year ago.

The proscriptive order coincided with a statement by the US government Tuesday night that Shekau could be tried in the US, when caught.

The order, which has been gazetted as the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2013 affects both Boko Haram (Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad) and Ansaru (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan), was approved by Jonathan pursuant to Section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (As Amended).

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, explained that the Act “officially brings the activities of both groups within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention Act and any persons associated with the two groups can now be legally prosecuted and sentenced to penalties specified in the Act”.

The proscription order, Abati emphasised, warns the general public that any person “participating in any form of activities involving or concerning the collective intentions of the said groups will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act”.

Accordingly, Section 5 (1) of the Act prescribes a term of imprisonment of not less than 20 years for any person who knowingly, in any manner, directly or indirectly, solicits or renders support for the commission of an act of terrorism or to a terrorist group.

The statement added: “For the purposes of subsection (1) of Section 5, 'support' includes - (a) incitement to commit a terrorist act through the internet, or any electronic means or through the use of printed materials or through the dissemination of terrorist information; (b) receipt or provision of material assistance, weapons including biological, chemical or nuclear weapons, explosives, training, transportation, false documentation or identification to terrorists or terrorist groups; (c) receipt or provision of information or moral assistance, including invitation to adhere to a terrorist or terrorist group; (d) entering or remaining in a country for the benefit of, or at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group; or (e) the provision of, or making available, such financial or other related services prohibited under this Act or as may be prescribed by regulations made pursuant to this Act.”

In the meantime, the US government, which placed a $7 million (N1.1 billion) bounty on Shekau on Monday, Tuesday said the Boko Haram leader could be tried in the US, when caught.

Kurt Rice, the US acting Assistant Director of Diplomatic Security Threat Investigations and Analysis Directorate, said this at a joint tele-news conference with David Gilmour, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs.

The tele-conference was aired to audiences in Abuja, Accra, Dakar, Lagos and Niamey.

Rice’s comments came a day after the US offered a $23 million (about N3.6 billion) reward for information on the location of five leaders of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram.

All the suspects named in the first US Rewards for Justice Programme for the sub-region were accused of being the mastermind of different cases of kidnap of foreigners and terror activities in West Africa.

Long overdue.so we are waiting for America to make move first.shame!.

Talk about stating the obvious!

GenBuhari: Talk about stating the obvious!

Please also go to Daura, Katsina state, and sound that to your Oga-at-the-top ears because he is not on the same page with you.