A separate Air Force statement said the raid killed 300 militants and was a result of human intelligence and reconnaissance indicating key Boko Haram commanders were gathering for a meeting. “But extremism can’t be defeated through repression or fear”, he said.
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There have been recent signs of rifts between at least parts of Boko Haram and Islamic State.
Shekau was believed to be praying on Friday at Taye village in the extremists’ Sambisa Forest holdout in northeast Nigeria.
An estimated 15,000 people have been killed by the group, which controls territory the size of Maryland along northeastern Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
The statement said the team held talks with Nigerian defence officials on the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force and “Operation LAFIYA DOLE”.
Kerry was due to visit President Buhari later in the capital Abuja, officials said.
Early this month, the Islamic State issued a statement saying it was naming a leader for what it described as its West African operations. Congress needs to approve the deal.
The US had been closely monitoring the fight against the Boko Haram which has declared allegiance to the dreaded Islamic State and attacked Nigeria’s neigbouring countries.
The visiting secretary of state did not say whether Nigeria’s human rights records had improved to resume arms sales but said President Buhari had made “a strong start at all levels of government” since taking office in May 2015.
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Speaking Tuesday at the 18th Combat Service Support Training Week of the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport in Benin City, Governor Oshiomhole said that the Army had gone beyond the call of duty in protecting the territorial integrity of the nation, to also ensuring internal security.
