Boko Haram now finding it difficult to recruit - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said it was to the credit of his administration that the Boko Haram sect is now finding it more difficult to recruit people.

He said the Nigerian Army was also not making things easy for the terrorist group again with what he described as measured onslaught on their camps.


According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke while receiving the Letter of Credence of Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria, Most Rev.  Antonio Filipazzi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari said the terrorist group had lost appeal in its initial strongholds, necessitating a steady retreat that will eventually culminate in ending the insurgency.

He said the era of Boko Haram terrorism is gradually drawing to end, with the narrowing of the recruitment base of the insurgents, and renewed onslaught by the Nigerian Army.

The President said, “You can’t indoctrinate people who are below the age of 14 years and blow up churches, mosques, markets and you keep shouting God is great.

“It is either you don’t know what you are saying, or you simply don’t care or believe what you are saying. It is part of our success story that Boko Haram is finding it more difficult to recruit people.

“The Nigerian Army is also not making it easy for them to grow, with more intelligence, orientation and regular, measured onslaught on their camps.”

Buhari said the ongoing effort to dismember the terrorist group, and render it completely powerless would be intensified.

The President, who described the Catholic Church as a strong partner in the development of Nigeria, noted that the church had made very significant contributions to the development of the educational and health system of the country.

On corruption, the President said the fight against the culture of pilfering public funds would be prolonged, and would require a new orientation by repositioning the entire educational system.

“I am pleased that the African Union has spoken out boldly against corruption and appreciated the work that we are doing here,’’  Buhari told the Archbishop.

In his remarks,  Filipazzi said the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had taken a keen interest on the fight against terrorism, corruption and reviving of the Nigerian economy.

“Mr. President, the Holy Father, sends his warm greetings and he is keen to denounce corruption everywhere,’’ he added.

The Apostolic Nuncio said he had travelled to the North East and was pleased with the efforts of the Nigerian Army in tackling the insurgents, and recovering some of the earlier lost grounds.

Buhari also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Niger to Nigeria, Mr. Alat Mogaskia and the High Commissioner of Ghana, Alhaji Rashid Bawa.