President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday that he had absolute confidence in the ability of the Nigerian military to bring to an end the insurgency spearheaded by members of the Boko Haram sect.

A statement by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President expressed his confidence in the soldiers while speaking with journalists after he held talks with President Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger Republic in Niamey.
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Buhari was quoted as saying that the Nigerian Army had earned a good reputation across the world and that it remained a virile fighting force.

He told the journalists that although he had been in office for only four days, his administration had already started the process of ending the insurgency.

The President said the ongoing operations against Boko Haram were reviewed for better results during a meeting he held with the security chiefs on Tuesday.

He said that Nigeria would continue to seek the support of neighbouring countries in its bid to overcome Boko Haram and that his visit to Niger was to seek more support from the country in bringing a quick end to the atrocities of the sect.

Buhari said he would hold similar meetings on security and the war against terrorism with the Chadian authorities after leaving Niamey on Thursday (today).

The President said Nigeria would require the assistance of other nations and multi-lateral institutions to rebuild areas that had been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency as well as rehabilitate displaced persons.

Mahamadou reportedly commended Buhari for making Niger the first country he would visit after his inauguration.

“Your decision to move the military command of Nigeria to the North East has further strengthened our conviction that the war against terrorism will soon come to an end,” he reportedly told Buhari.

He also assured the President that Niger would continue to support Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

At the opening of bilateral talks between Nigeria and Niger earlier, Buhari had praised his hosts’ contributions to the ongoing multi-national effort against terrorism, insurgency and cross-border crimes.

He said, “My administration will bring new impetus and a renewed commitment to the efforts to wipe out the menace of the Boko Haram insurgents. As a first step, we have directed the relocation of the command post of the counter-insurgency operations to Maiduguri until such a time that the insurgency is completely defeated