Terrorism: U.S. Says Nigeria Yet To Request Help As It Designates Terror Groups In DRC, Mozambique

The United States Government has expressed displeasure over worsening insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the rising cases of kidnapping in the country.

This was just as it suggested that the Nigerian Government was yet to request its assistance to combat terrorism in the country.

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The Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Michael Gonzales, made this known on Thursday during a counterterrorism press briefing organized by the US Department of States’ Africa Regional Media Hub.

Recall that following the recent abduction of schoolgirls in Jangebe, Zamfara state, the US government had urged Nigerian authorities to be decisive and apprehend the perpetrators and secure the country.

Gonzales said that the U.S. has what it takes to help Nigeria attain its national security objectives.

“The U.S. is ready to provide the appropriate support to the Nigerian Government if requested to do so.

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“We are disgusted with the mass kidnapping of school children in Nigeria,” Gonzales added.

Meanwhile, the department further revealed that it had sanctioned terror groups in Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.

“StateDept has designated the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – Mozambique (ISIS-Mozambique) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” it tweeted.

According to the State Department, the ISIS-affiliated groups displaced about 700,000 persons in both countries.

The designation includes blocking their financial system, which it says was emboldening them to commit further atrocities.

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“As a result of these designations, among other consequences, all property and interests in property of those designated that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct or facilitate any significant transaction on behalf of these groups or individuals could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions. Additionally, it is a crime to knowingly provide material support or resources to ISIS-DRC or ISIS-Mozambique, or to attempt or conspire to do so,” it stated.

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