United Nations (UN) Security Council Committee on al Qaeda, on Thursday, blacklisted Boko Haram, Nigeria’s Islamist militant group, after the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls, diplomats said.

The sanctions on the group, according to Reuters, included an international asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

It will be recalled that Nigeria requested the listing of Boko Haram earlier this week.

“Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities,” United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said in a statement.

“By adding Boko Haram to the UN’s 1267 (al Qaeda) sanctions list, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions,” she said.

In another development, the United States has said it hopes to see the girls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria, reunited with their families soon, adding that it was also preparing for a long, tough fight to defeat Boko Haram and to help the Nigerian people realise the full political and economic potential of the country.

Ms Sarah Sewall, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights House Foreign Affairs Committee, Washington, DC, disclosed this at a roundtable on Wednesday.

According to her, after the abduction, President Barack Obama pledged full support and President Goodluck Jonathan readily accepted Secretary John Kerry’s offer of assistance.

She said as a result of the offer, a robust multidisciplinary team from the US government was working hand in hand with Nigerian counterparts and teams from a half dozen other countries such as the United Kingdom and France in Abuja.

“Our military and civilian experts in intelligence, military planning, hostage negotiations, strategic communications, civilian protection, and victim support, have been given unprecedented access and cooperation to assist Nigeria’s effort to safely recover the kidnapped schoolgirls.

“This effort – one that is extremely difficult and, as we know from our own experience, may take far longer than we would like – will necessarily entail not just a military approach, but also law enforcement and diplomatic approaches.

“This kidnapping – and addressing the threat of Boko Haram more broadly – would be daunting for any government. That is why the United States is doing all it can to help Nigeria address these challenges – today and longer term,” she said.

She said during a trip to Nigeria last week, herself and AFRICOM Commander General, David Rodriguez, met Nigeria’s top security officials to stress the importance of resolving the crisis and redoubling the effort to defeat Boko Haram while respecting human rights and ensuring the protection of civilians.

“Peace and security in Nigeria is one of our highest foreign policy priorities in Africa. The tragedy of this kidnapping has rightfully focused our attention on the need to return these girls to their families, and on Boko Haram’s increasingly brazen assaults on youth seeking education.

“Ensuring that girls and boys alike have the opportunity to learn is essential to ensuring that all of Nigeria’s people contribute to and benefit from its economic prosperity. As the First Lady, Michelle Obama, recently observed, stories like those of the kidnapped girls – and others who have risked their lives to pursue education – should serve as a call to action to help the millions of girls worldwide who are not in school.

“The fight against Boko Haram requires more than just military action, it requires a comprehensive approach to improving the lives of people in North-East Nigeria. Just as my portfolio at the State Department includes counterterrorism, law enforcement, democracy promotion, human rights, conflict response, criminal justice, refugees, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom, Nigeria needs to address all of these important, inter-related issues in its fight against Boko Haram.

“Nigeria is not only a critical regional political and economic leader, but also a partner with which we work closely together in multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council,” she added.

It said the major hurdle was for Nigerian forces to conduct intelligence-driven operations that would avoid civilian casualties, in order to help enhance trust and cooperation with northern populations and expose the relatively small numbers of Boko Haram fighters.