Boko Haram has not captured any town in a week –Jonathan

President Good­luck Jonathan has urged the interna­tional community to ignore reports coming from a section of the me­dia about the activities of terror sect, Boko Haram in the north east, boasting that the war on terror was being won as the sect has not captured any town in the last one week.

Jonathan, speaking at the opening of the meet­ing of Nigeria’s Honorary International Investment Council (HIIC), in London, assured that the Federal Gov­ernment, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies were working very hard to ensure that the abil­ity of Boko Haram to capture and hold any Nigerian terri­tory is ended very soon. He further assured the gathering that the Armed Forces and other security agencies were making steady gains in re­covering areas recently taken by Boko Haram.

According to him, “We are improving on security. For about a week now, there had been no reports of Boko Haram seizing more terri­tory. Rather, we are steadily pushing them back. The im­pression being created by sections of the media that the situation is worsening is not true. I can assure you that it will never get worse.”


He used the occasion to call for greater support from the National Assembly for the federal government’s ef­forts to curb terrorism, insur­gency and insecurity in the country.

He told members of the council headed by Baroness Lynda Chalker that he had offered himself as a candi­date in Nigeria’s next presi­dential elections because he was convinced that with four more years in office, he will be able to further consolidate the positive national reforms initiated by his administra­tion and take them to a point of irreversibility for the good of all Nigerians.

“As you already know, I have indicated my willing­ness to carry on for another four years if I am given the opportunity so that we can carry forward some of the re­forms we have been talking about,” he said.

Jonathan cited the expan­sion of transportation infra­structure, improvement of local content in Nigeria’s oil industry, more inclusive eco­nomic growth, job creation and national security which are on the agenda of the meeting as some of the areas in which his administration still hoped to achieve further improvements.

We cannot move the econ­omy forward without good infrastructure. We have been working very hard in that area. We have improved our road network significantly. In the next three to four years, we should be able to resur­face almost all federal roads in the country and begin new ones.

“We are improving our airport terminals and avia­tion security. Reforms are also ongoing at our ports to drastically reduce the time required for import clearance formalities.