U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made “very strong commitments” on ways to ramp up military assistance to help Nigeria defeat the extremist group Boko Haram, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday.
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Kerry who is in Nigeria on tour some African countries is expected in Abuja to meet with president Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the Sultanate Council was building a community of tolerance for peace, progress and political stability in Nigeria.
The president said that though militancy in the Niger Delta had impacted negatively on the economy and affected positive intentions of worldwide and local investors, government had showed restraint to use of real force.
Accordingly, Kerry acknowledged the ongoing efforts by Buhari to entrench morality, transparency, honesty and good governance in public life while noting that, Buhari was also making commendable efforts to recover all stolen funds.
The US Secretary of State praised the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war, adding that the country could become a model in fighting the menace.
Boko Haram remains one of Nigeria’s top security challenges.
Mr. Kerry said being the first secretary of state to visit the seat of the caliphate, all hands should be on deck towards strengthening religious knowledge among Nigerians.
In return, Buhari thanked the U.S. for its assistance in fighting Boko Haram and pledged to continue his anti-graft war “according to the rule of law”.
On how to effectively counter violent extremism, Kerry said the Federal Government had to tackle the root causes.
“We will insist on the standards we’re establishing”.
“There is nothing more demoralizing, more destructive, and more disempowering to any citizen than the belief that the system is created to fail them”, Kerry said.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Nigerian troops of excessive force and extra-judicial killings of suspected Boko Haram insurgents, hundreds of Shiite Muslims and pro-Biafra protestors.
On Wednesday Kerry is scheduled to meet representatives of local NGOs helping to fight corruption – a priority of the Buhari administration – before flying to Saudi Arabia where he will discuss the Yemen crisis, the war in Syria and the global fight against the Islamic State group.
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The Sultan and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal assured Mr. Kerry that the State is committed to promoting peaceful coexistence among its people.
