Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (R) and French President Francois Hollande (L) look on during a meeting at the presidential Palace in Abuja on May 14, 2016.
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Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Nigeria also faced the major task of rebuilding destroyed infrastructure.
Since 2015, the four countries that share Lake Chad – Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger – have significantly weakened Boko Haram but have been unable to vanquish the Islamists entirely.
Nigeria has asked the United States to sell it aircraft to fight Boko Haram, which has been waging a seven-year insurgency in the north and last year pledged loyalty to Islamic State, which is active in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
Blinken said the United States was helping Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram with armoured vehicles.
The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Friday, said there would not be a timeframe to ending Boko Haram but a comprehensive approach to ending the insurgence was possible.
It also said it was concerned over the food security crisis in the region and cited the widespread displacement caused by Boko Haram.
Since late November the Cameroon military has carried out operations in several border areas aimed at weakening the Nigeria-based militants.
Hollande, who sees France as a natural liaison between its former colonies and English-speaking Nigeria, said results had been achieved through better regional coordination.
The 15-member Council also expressed alarm at Boko Haram’s links to Daesh, also known as the Islamic State, ahead of a summit in Nigeria to evaluate efforts to combat the extremists.
Among them are the recovery of territories occupied by boko haram; establishment of unitsby Nigeria, Niger and Chadto prosecutewar on terror;strengthening of the regionalcoalitionand establishment of the Regional Intelligence Sharing Unit in Abuja among other achievements.
Last year, Boko Haram announced its allegiance to ISIL; some Nigerian officials have told local media that they fear extremist fighters are making their way to Libya to meet with ISIL leaders to receive funding and training.
Paris had also provided training and equipment, he added, as part of the global support to Abuja that includes British military trainers and USA surveillance drones.
President Buhari made the call at the 2 Regional Security Summit which ended in Abuja. What remains is to dislodge the terrorists from their hide out in Sambisa forest and safely liberate the Chibok Girls and other victims of abduction, ” Buhari stated.
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Federica Mogherini, Vice President of the European Commission, said the organisation had concluded plans to contribute an initial €50 million to support the countries ravaged by Boko Haram.
