KEY HIGHLIGHT
Nigeria based militant group Boko Haram continues to wage attacks in Nigeria and now extending foothold in the neighbouring countries including Chad, Mali, Niger and Cameroon.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with delegation of Nigerian officials Wednesday 30th March 2016 and held talks.
The discussions among other things mostly revolved around Boko Haram menace in the West African nations.
During the mid-day briefing sessions, Kerry acknowledged Boko Haram’s challenge to Nigeria and reiterated U.S. commitments and support to end Boko Haram insurgency.
“It is an outrage that any group anywhere would brainwash young people, including little girls, to strap explosives to their bodies and walk into an open marketplace with the intent of murdering their own families, neighbors and themselves,” Kerry said.“That is what Boko Haram does. And that is why these terrorists have to be stopped.” Kerry added.
Kerry recognized Nigeria’s efforts under President Muhammadu Buhari in fighting the terrorist group saying the military offensives have crippled its ability to launch full-scale attacks.
However, Kerry warned that the Islamic State affiliated Islamist group remains a serious threat to the entire region that needs urgent intervention.
SUCCESSES, WAY FORWARD
Earlier in the day (Wednesday) Nigeria’s Defense Minister gave account on military operations milestones saying Boko Haram has been dislodged in many parts of the country and operations will continue push them out of the strategic Sambis forest within the next two or three months.
Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, who joined Kerry at the briefing, thanked U.S. and international community for the supported extended that has seen success in battling terrorism within its borders.
Onyeama said the Nigerian government is putting mechanisms in place to address the root causes of terrorism aimed at completely eradicating the scourge on people of Nigeria.
