President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear of his full confident that by the end of this year, Boko Haram’s ability to attack, seize, ravage and hold any Nigerian territory will have been completely obliterated.
The President, who spoke today when he granted an audience to the Commander of United States’ Africa Command, General David Rodriguez, said that with greater support which his administration is giving to the soldiers in terms of improved training, equipment, logistics and welfare, there is hope that Boko Haram activities would not extend into 2016.
He emphasised that Nigerian Armed Forces are now well positioned to meet the December deadline which they have been given to end the insurgency.
President Buhari expressed his appreciation to the United States for the support it rendered for the efforts towards overcoming terrorism and insurgency.
“We must thank the United States of America for sending training teams and equipment to us. The positive results of our collaboration are evident.
“Structured attacks by the insurgents have reduced and by the end of the year, we should see the final routing of Boko Haram as an organized fighting force.”
President Buhari however, appealed for greater cooperation from the United States in securing the Gulf of Guinea through which stolen Nigerian crude oil is being shipped abroad.
He decried the severe revenue losses which Nigeria suffers from crude oil theft, adding that his administration is determined to end this criminal practice even as he welcome more support from the international community in this regard.
General Rodriguez told President Buhari that he was in the country to strengthen Nigeria/United States military relations, and also to explore further options for assisting the Multinational Joint Task Force, established by Nigeria and her neighbours, to fight Boko Haram. [myad]
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