State Department designates two Nigerian militant groups as terrorist organizations

The State Department has designated two Nigerian militant groups -- Boko Haram and Ansaru -- as foreign terrorist organizations to help U.S. and other law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute suspects associated with the two extremist networks.

The State Department said Wednesday that both also have been designated as specially designated global terrorist groups under federal law.

The two designations mean that U.S. regulatory agencies are instructed to block business and financial transactions with the organization.

Ansaru and Boko Haram, which has links to al-Qaida, has been waging a brutal campaign against military, government and civilian targets in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and a top oil exporter.