The news has just come in that at least 150 people have been killed in a coordinated attack by the radical Islamic sect in Nigeria known as Boko Haram. Many government buildings have been reportedly destroyed. The group’s leader has threatened to carry out more attacks. And that means more innocent lives will be lost in the coming days, weeks or months.

My question is this: should the world keep quiet, stand by and watch this bloodthirsty group continue its killing spree? How long will the international community continue to pretend not to know that Boko Haram is a deadly terrorist group that is capable of destroying and destabilizing the country and the region? I mean how many deaths will it take till the world knows that too many people have died and many more are to die? How many people will be killed before the UN decides to intervene?

It is obvious that Nigeria is battling its own version of al-Qaeda. There is ample evidence that Boko Haram has allies in North Africa and the Middle East who are supplying it with arms, training and intelligence. Boko Haram has openly used and advocated violence. It has not hidden its extremist agenda.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for so many attacks and killings including the attacks carried out at the Police Headquarters and the UN House in Abuja. This group has literally declared a war against the government of Nigeria and against any individual or groups locally or internationally which it suspects to be opposed to its Islamist cause. No one knows who will be the next target or the names of the individuals, agencies or embassies on their hit list.

How many more people will Boko Haram kill before the world comes to the aid of Nigeria? It is obvious that the Federal Government of Nigeria is too weak and has proved incapable of defeating these Islamic jihadists. This is particularly the case in a region where militant Islam has local and political sympathy and support.

Nigeria lacks the intelligence and expertise to battle this local al Qaeda group. Boko Haram is a transnational Islamist terrorist group. There is need for a transnational operation to battle and defeat it.

Before it is too late.