Politics

John Kerry: How to defeat terrorism in Nigeria

Published

8 years ago

August 23, 2016

Mr John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, on Tuesday said that beating Boko Haram on the battlefield is only the beginning of what Nigeria must do to defeat terrorism.

According to Kerry, extremism cannot be defeated through repression or fear, adding that the battle against Boko Haram will only succeed if the reasons people join Islamist militant groups are taken care of and if the government and its military gain people’s trust.

“We also know that beating Boko Haram on the battlefield is only the beginning of what we must do. Building public trust in government also requires cooperation from the military and law enforcement. Extremism can’t be defeated through repression or fear,” Kerry said.

Kerry, who is on a two-day visit to Nigeria, said this in a speech during a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, in the northern Nigerian city of Sokoto, at the start of a visit to Nigeria.

He applauded the efforts of the, Sultan for promoting religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians as he said that the Sultanate Council, was building a community of tolerance for peace, progress and political stability in Nigeria.

He said that the United States would continue to identify itself with the Sultanate in strengthening religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians.

Kerry, who is the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit the Seat of the Caliphate, admonished that strengthening religious knowledge and tolerance among Nigerians should be the concern of every well-meaning Nigerian.

Earlier, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar, expressed delight at the visit. He said that the council would continue to promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians for the overall political growth of the country.

He explained that religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians remained the principal objective of the Sultanate in mobilising Nigerians to tolerate one another for peace, progress and political stability of the country.

Kerry was accompanied by Governor Aminu Tambuwal to the palace while Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara and Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Northwest, were present during the courtesy visit on the Sultan.

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