President Muhammadu Buhari was hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department on Tuesday, as he continues his four day U.S. visit.
On Monday, President Buhari met with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss the threat posed by Boko Haram militants and other issues. Obama praised the recent election in Nigeria marking the first democratic transfer of power since the end of military rule in 1999.
“We saw an election in which a peaceful transition to a new government took place,” Obama said. “It was an affirmation to Nigeria’s commitment to democracy.” He added he is very concerned by Boko Haram attacks and he believes President Buhari has a clear agenda about defeating the group and rooting out corruption that has held Nigeria’s economic prosperity back.
Obama said he looks forward to discussing how the United States and Nigeria can cooperate on counter-terrorism issues. The four-day trip is Buhari’s first to Washington since taking office in May in a rare peaceful transition of power in Nigeria.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Monday emphasized the U.S. commitment to working with Nigeria to help counter “disruptive terrorist activities.” But Earnest said such cooperation includes the requirement the Nigerian government improve its human rights record.
“To make sure that even as they are carrying out counterterrorism raids and other security operations, that they are mindful of the basic human rights of their people,” Earnest said. “And that was certainly an important part of the conversation that the president had today.”
Buhari came to office promising change, and within days replaced the heads of Nigeria’s army, navy and air force. In an opinion piece published Monday in the Washington Post, President Buhari pledged to take the fight directly to Boko Haram while “instilling good governance and tackling the scourge of corruption.”
