Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN) told Candy Crowley on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “more could’ve been done” to prevent the kidnapping of almost 300 girls in Nigeria by radical Islam terrorist group Boko Haram.
“The earlier we push against these radical organizations, the better,” the Minnesota Republican said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I think more could’ve been done a of couple years ago to help prevent this.”
“This was something that didn’t just come up now, Boko Haram has been on the run and on the rise for years,” the congresswoman said, noting that she she sent a letter several years ago calling for a “crack down” on the group.
Boko Haram formed in 2002 and means “Western education is forbidden.” While they still attack schools, the terrorist group expanded their views and wants to rid Nigeria of the Western lifestyle and Christianity. In 2011, the FBI and CIA urged then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to designate Boko Haram a terrorist group, but she flat out refused. The United States did not list the group until November 2013 by current Secretary of State John Kerry. Clinton refused to do this even though Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria’s capital Abuja. Here are a few more attacks by Boko Haram since Clinton refused to list them as a terrorist group:
In December 2012, Boko Haram murdered 10 Christians as they slept and burned down the houses in northeast Borno. A few days before this incident, terrorists from the group burned down three churches in Gamboru.
On September 29, 2013, Boko Haram slaughtered sleeping students at the Yobe State College of Agriculture in rural Gujba. At least 50 students were murdered and many students were scared to return. A few students wanted to go back to school, but parents refused to send them away. The situation is too dangerous.
In September 2013, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIEF) released a report that says Boko Haram is responsible for the attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
- A total of 50 churches were bombed, burned or attacked, killing at least 366 people.
- Christians or people perceived to be Christians were attacked in 31 separate incidents, killing at least 166 people.
- Clerics or senior Islamic figures critical of Boko Haram were attacked in 23 separate incidents, killing at least 60 people.
- “Un-Islamic” institutions or persons engaged in “un-Islamic” behaviors were attacked in 21 separate incidents, killing at least 74 people.
These are a few attacks that occurred after the report was released:
October 2013: Boko Haram closed a highway and proceeded to shoot and hacked to death 19 motorists and burned three trucks.
November 2013: Boko Haram slaughtered at least 71 Christians in Nigerian in the month of November. Reuters interviewed Hajja, a Christian woman who was kidnapped by Boko Haram and forced to be a slave bride. Luckily she was able to escape her captors.
January 2014: Boko Haram murdered at least 99 Nigerians in an attack on two towns and one Christian church service.
February 2014: Boko Haram opened fire on a secondary school in northeast Yobe while students slept in their dormitories.
May 2014: Different sources reported between 200-400 were killed and eleven more girls were kidnapped during an attack on a village market.
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