President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he remained confident that Boko Haram’s ability to attack, seize and ravage any Nigerian territory would be completely stopped by December.
He spoke when the Commander of United States Africa Command, Gen. David Rodriguez, visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said with improved training, equipment, logistics and welfare by his administration, the Nigerian Armed Forces were now well-positioned to meet the December deadline, which they have been given to end the Boko Haram insurgency.
Buhari hailed United States’ support for Nigeria’s efforts to overcome terrorism and insurgency.
He said: “We must thank the U.S. for sending training teams and equipment to us. The positive results of our collaboration are evident.
“Structured attacks by the insurgents have reduced and by the end of the year, we should see the final routing of Boko Haram as an organised fighting force,” the president said.
He appealed for greater cooperation from the U.S. in securing the Gulf of Guinea through which stolen Nigerian crude oil is shipped abroad.
Decrying the severe revenue losses which Nigeria suffered from crude oil theft, Buhari said his administration was determined to end this criminal practice.
He added that the Federal Government would welcome more support from the international community in that regard.
Rodriguez told the President that he was in the country to strengthen Nigeria/U.S. military relations as well as explore further options for assisting the Multinational Joint Task Force established by Nigeria and its neighbours to fight Boko Haram.