US Congress to Conduct Public Hearing on Boko Haram Next Week

As acts of terrorism continue in the northern part of Nigeria, the United States (US) Congress is billed to conduct a special hearing next week on the menace of Boko Haram and other forms of terrorism in Nigeria and other countries considered as US allies.

US Congressman and Chairman of the sub-Committee for African Affairs, Chris Smith made this known when he led a delegation of the US Congress Sub-Committee on African Affairs to a meeting with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Abuja.

He explained that though Boko Haram is not Islam, its activities constituted a ‘terrible aberration’ that not only Nigeria should be concerned about, but the rest of the world, adding that, “the very tangible problem of dealing with the refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and the victims that have been traumatized is something American government is concerned about.”

Smith stated that sequel to the incessant cases of bombings by Boko Haram sect and other forms of global terrorism, the US would next week commence a public hearing on Boko Haram to ascertain the facts on how to curb and tame  the menace.

He said there is “need to find a way to reconcile the horrific situation of Boko Haram and targeting of Christians. This is an organization that has absolutely misread the Koran and is killing people.”

“I came because in July 2011 the CAN president gave an extensive testimony concerning the targeting of Christians and churches, genocide and ethnic cleansing going on in Nigeria and it has helped the Congress to take action and will next week hold a hearing on the issue of Boko Haram and terrorism and it is my hope that we will build better responses especially to the great humanitarian suffering.”

Smith also urged the Federal Government to consider setting a special fund in addition to the amnesty committee which will be similar to the US 9/11 Victims Special Fund in order to bring succor to the victims who have been affected in one way or the other by Boko Haram activities.

Calling on the government to follow the US example, Smith said, “the example of the United States after the 9/11 attack, many of those widows were traumatized, they were hurt psychologically and it made their economic situation more dire having lost their breadwinners. The Congress passed a Victims’ Compensation Fund designed to help and build significant bridges to deal with further deterioration of their economic situation. It is an idea that has to be considered by the National Assembly in Nigeria because of the number of victims you have.”

Responding, CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor said the association has also considered the need to establish a special fund for Boko Haram victims caught in the insurgency and acts of terrorism. He informed the delegation that already CAN has made its position known to government, and was still waiting for government’s response.

Oritsejafor further stated that all stakeholders involved in fighting terrorism must begin to see such acts of terror as an outcome of indoctrination as opposed to the claims of economic depravity. “We should not only be talking about economic issues, indoctrination is very important, terrorism is not basically economics,” the CAN president stressed.

Already, the tell-tale effect of the attacks in the northern parts of the country is now being felt in Abuja as over 300 victims and refugees who ran away from the sect have now relocated to Abuja for safety. 

A guard (name withheld) at the CAN headquarters attached to Joint Task Force (JTF) said his life is in severe danger as Boko Haram members are after his life.
Narrating his ordeal, the guard who said his decision to cooperate with JTF, leading them to the hideouts of Boko Haram pitched him against the sect’s members, causing him to flee his village to avoid being attacked.

He also revealed that most of the civilian JTF members are disguised Boko Haram members, “the civilian-JTF members are the real insurgents that ran away when they heard that soldiers were coming. They are members. They just disguise as civilian-JTF. One of the JTF members asked me if I could identify those that are members of Boko Haram and I told them that I know them by name. I told JTF that I know their names, their houses and their parents.”

"The JTF was eventually deployed to the place. They asked for a direction and I was taken as their guide to the hideouts of these insurgents. That day, there were about three battalions of soldiers. The moment they came in contact with the insurgents, they started exchanging fires.”
Explaining further, he said, “they have now said they'll look for me wherever I hide since I led JTF to them. They said they'll kill me once they see me.