US Officials Still Unable To Track Boko Haram's Finances
United States Security Agencies have proclaimed that terrorist group Boko Haram is not sponsored by anti Jonathan politicians.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, revealed this in a recent interview, after immense cooperation by the Nigerian security agencies.
US had before refused to share their knowledge of the sect's financial backing with the mass media.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the sect is using kidnappings and other illegal crimes to survive.
The US had been having problems tracking the route of the sect's financial backing after their usual method of tracking did not work, because Boko Haram operates outside the banking system. They usually rely on a range of measures to track financial transactions of terrorist groups.
Boko Haram are said to use a primary system of couriers to move cash around inside Nigeria and across the porous borders from neighbouring African states, according to the officials interviewed by Reuters.
When Obama labelled the group as terrorists, he said that the group has links with al-Qaeda, and the Treasury Department confirmed this statement saying it has proof of Boko Haram receiving support from the terror group.
The Treasury Department also said that even though the help by al Qaeda is limited but “Any financial support AQIM might still be providing Boko Haram would pale in comparison to the resources it gets from criminal activities,” a U.S. official said.
Boko Haram are estimated to make millions of dollars through kidnappings and ransom operation. Last year they were paid $3.15 million by French and Cameroonian negotiators after they kidnapped Frenchman Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, his wife and four children, and his brother while they were on holiday near the Waza national park in Cameroon, close to the Nigerian border.
The US estimate that Boko Haram makes $1 million on average for any abducted wealthy Nigerian.
Source: Legit.ng
