President Buhari Reaffirms Commitment To Intensification Of Operations Against Boko Haram

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Germany reaffirmed his administration's total commitment to ending the Boko Haram insurgency in the shortest possible time, a presidential press statement said.

Speaking at a meeting in Elmau with President Francois Hollande of France after his participation in today's G-7 Outreach Programme, President Buhari said that Nigeria will welcome greater support and cooperation from France and other friendly nations for its ongoing efforts to overcome Boko Haram and restore full security and normalcy to areas affected by the group's atrocities.

The President said that his administration was already taking concrete action to build a more efficient and effective coalition of Nigeria and neighbouring countries against Boko Haram.

Nigeria, he said, would appreciate more intelligence on the terrorist group's links with ISIS, movements, training and sources of its arms and ammunition to facilitate the perfection of fresh tactics and strategies being evolved to overcome terrorism and insurgency in the country and its sub-region.

In talks with his French counterpart, President Buhari reiterated that there was absolutely no link between religion and the atrocities being committed by Boko Haram.

"There is clearly no religious basis for the actions of the group. Their atrocities show that members of the group either do not know God at all or they don't believe in Him," President Buhari said.

President Hollande commended President Buhari's concerted efforts to galvanize Nigeria's armed forces, security agencies and neighouring countries for more decisive action to eradicate Boko Haram.

The French leader assured President Buhari that France will give Nigeria and its coalition partners greater support against terrorism and insecurity, including military and intelligence cooperation, to help them overcome the security challenge posed by Boko Haram and its global terrorist allies as quickly as possible.

He also called for greater bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and France in other areas including trade, economic and cultural relations. 

President Buhari received similar pledges of enhanced support from Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and Chancellor Angela Merkel who he also conferred with before departing from the venue of the G-7 2015 Summit.

The President is due back in Abuja early Tuesday.