We now have the Will to Degrade, Eliminate Boko Haram, Says Buhari

•  We now have the Will to Degrade, Eliminate Boko Haram, Says Buhari
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President Muhammadu Buhari has said that with the formation of a stronger regional military coalition, Nigeria and neighbouring countries now have an increased capacity to deal effectively with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.

Also, the Boko Haram Victims Support Fund headed by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma disclosed that donors have now redeemed about N23 billion of their pledges. Buhari on his part ordered the immediate release of federal government’s N5 billion pledge to the fund.

Speaking at an audience with Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa, Buhari reaffirmed his belief that the full activation and deployment of the Multi National Joint Task Force established under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission will lead to the speedy defeat and elimination of Boko Haram.

The President added that with the Command and Control Centre of the Nigerian military now in Maiduguri, Borno State, the morale of troops in the front-line states had improved significantly.

“You can tell the Secretary-General that we are doing our best and our best will be good enough for the nation and the sub-region,’’ Buhari told Ibn Chambas.

Against the background of upcoming elections in Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea and Burkina Faso, the President also called on the United Nations to assist African countries in the acquisition and use of innovative technologies to ensure more credible elections.

“When citizens recognise that their votes count, it will boost their confidence in democracy and their countries’ electoral systems,” he said.

Recalling that in the last general elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission used smart card readers to authenticate prospective voters, Buhari observed that while Nigeria could afford the use of such technology in its elections, other African countries may require support and assistance from the international community.

Ibn Chambas commended Buhari for his strong and positive actions against terrorism.

The United Nations envoy also welcomed President Buhari’s successful visit to Cameroon this week and his reaffirmation of Nigeria’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of all border issues with Cameroon.

Donors redeem N23bn pledge to Boko Haram support fund…

The Presidential Committee of the Boko Haram Victims Support Fund headed by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma disclosed that donors have now redeemed about N23 billion of their pledges.

President Buhari subsequently directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the N5 billion pledged by the Federal Government since August 2014 for the Fund.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina said the president gave the directive after receiving a briefing from the VSF Presidential Committee at the Presidential Villa.

Danjuma had told the President that out of the N55.92 billion pledged at the fund-raising dinner for the Fund in August last year, N33.54 billion  was still outstanding, including N5 billion from the Federal Government.

He said that the VSF currently has N23.33 billion in four bank accounts and that the committee received approval from the immediate past administration to incorporate the fund into a Trust Fund, to “insulate it from political interference”.

Danjuma had urged the President to use his office to persuade all organisations and individuals to honour their pledges to the committee.