President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday gave assurance that Nigeria will fulfill its pledge of $100million to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to battle Boko Haram.
The President speaking at a high-level meeting of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that having already released $21million to the task force in June last year, Nigeria will remit the balance of $79million very soon.
Buhari, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also assured the Council that Boko Haram’s capacity to conduct conventional attacks has been “heavily degraded.” He said: “As at now, there is no single Nigerian territory under the control of the insurgents other than their hideouts in Sambisa Forest. ‘The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now being resettled in their respective homes.
“This feat totally accords with our promise to Nigerians to rid the country of terrorism and extremism within few months of our assumption of office. “Our efforts are already yielding dividends and we will not relent until the terrorist groups are totally decimated and wiped out of our country and sub-region.”
The President also reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to support measures to end the conflicts in Burundi and South Sudan, including the proposed deployment of troops by the AU to Burundi. He added: “Let me reiterate Nigeria’s deep commitment to ensuring durable peace, stability and security on our continent.
“Without peace, there will be no development. It is therefore vital for all of us to join hands in taking appropriate measures to end the conflicts and bring a stop to the incalculable damage being inflicted on innocent citizens in the affected countries.”
