Boko Haram ‘is losing’, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the recent suicide attacks launched by Boko Haram against military and civilian targets were signs that the radical sect was losing the battle to the Nigerian military.

Buhari made this claim in an opinion article published by the Washington Post (read  the article here) in the United States, where he currently is on a State visit.

“Already we are beginning to see a degrading of Boko Haram’s capabilities as a fighting force. In recent weeks, it appears to have shifted away from confronting the military directly to an increase in attacks on civilian areas, as we saw only last week when an elderly woman and 10-year-old girl blew themselves up at a Muslim prayer gathering in northeastern Nigeria. We should not be confused by this change, hateful as it is: It does not mean that Boko Haram is succeeding in its aims — it shows that it is losing,” Buhari said.

He explained that the sacking and appointment of new service chiefs and director-general of the State Security Services was informed by the need to re-strategise the fight against Boko Haram. According to him, the new service chiefs will be based in Borno State, where the headquarters of the armed services has been relocated.

He said the scourge of insurgency continued to fester in the past because past administration did not muster enough will to tackle terror.

“Indeed, the failure of governance, it can be argued, has been as much a factor in Nigeria’s inability thus far to defeat Boko Haram as have been issues with the military campaign itself.

“So the path we must take is simple, even if it is not easy: First, instill rules and good governance; second, install officials who are experienced and capable of managing state agencies and ministries; and third, seek to recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that this money can be invested in Nigeria for the benefit of all of our citizens.”

While expressing confidence that the insurgents would be defeated, the President cautioned against expectations of quick decimation of Boko Haram.

He said: “While we work to defeat the terrorists, I ask the people of Nigeria and the world for resolve and fortitude. The campaign we will wage will not be easy; it may not be swift. We should expect stages of success and also moments when it may appear that our advances have been checked. But no one should have any doubt as to the strength of our collective will or my commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace and normalcy to all affected areas.”

Elsewhere in the article, Buhari expressed his resolve to tackle the perennial problems confronting the country. He specifically reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption. He also pledged to instill good governance.

“My determination should not be underestimated in other matters. This includes instilling good governance and tackling the scourge of corruption that has held Nigeria back for too long.”