President Muhammadu Buhari said Wednesday in Abuja that corruption was
largely responsible for the inability of the Nigerian military to quickly
defeat Boko Haram.
Speaking at an audience with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed
El-Tayeb, President Buhari said that the loss of 14 local government areas
to Boko Haram had greatly tarnished the reputation of the Nigerian Armed
Forces.
The President noted, however, that with measures taken by his
Administration to curb corruption and provide better weaponry, logistics,
training and welfare for soldiers on the frontlines, the Nigerian military
has now almost totally incapacitated Boko Haram as a fighting force and
recovered all territories that were lost to the terrorist sect.
“When we curbed corruption and removed the injustice in the military, we
began to make progress,” President Buhari said.
Welcoming the support of Muslims across the world for Nigeria’s war against
Boko Haram, the President said that the war against terrorism was also a
war against injustice, which is not condoned by Islam and all the major
religions.
“You can’t kill the innocent in churches or in mosques and shout Allahu
Akbar,” President Buhari said, adding that the visit of Dr. El-Tayeb and
his expression of solidarity with Nigeria in the war against terrorism was
a clear indication of global Muslim support for Nigeria against the unjust
killing of the innocent by terrorists.
The President, who reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to
resettle all persons who were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency,
thanked the Grand Imam for the donation of scholarships, educational and
medical supplies to Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons.
Dr. El-Tayeb told President Buhari that Muslims all over the world share
Nigeria’s pains from terrorism and will continue to support efforts to
ensure the return of peace and unity amongst all faiths in the country.