PH
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is making his first foreign trip – to Niger – since taking office last week.
He is expected to discuss the regional offensive against Boko Haram militants with Nigeria’s northern neighbour.
Niger, Chad and Cameroon have been helping Nigeria recapture territory from the insurgents, who Mr Buhari has described as “mindless” and “godless”.
At his inauguration, Mr Buahri vowed that he would tackle “head on” the six-year Islamist insurgency.
He met his security chiefs for the first time since his swearing in on Tuesday.
The president has said the military command centre will be relocated to the north-eastern city of Maiduguri and remain there until the group is completely subdued.
‘Poor co-ordination’
After a day in Niger, Mr Buhari will head to Chad, whose leader has been critical of Nigeria’s approach to tackling Boko Haram.
Last month, President Idris Deby said the fight had been hampered by poor co-ordination between the Chadian and Nigerian armies.
Chad, Cameroon and Niger have mainly been working on their sides of the border with Nigeria to stop any attacks by Boko Haram.
But earlier this year, forces from Chad and Niger crossed into north-eastern Nigeria to help recapture towns when the militants began threatening neighbouring states.
Despite a state of emergency in three north-eastern Nigerian states, Boko Haram managed to take over many towns and villages last year.
Correspondents say Mr Buhari’s discussions in Niger and Chad are likely focus on a regional force to confront the group.
An African Union plan to set up an 8,000-strong multi-national regional force to fight the insurgents has not yet been implemented.
About 1.5 million people have been displaced and hundreds more abducted since the group launched their violent uprising to impose Islamic rule in 2009.
More than 15,500 people have been killed in the fighting.
The group is still holding many women, girls and children captive, including 219 schools girls it kidnapped from a school in Chibok in April last year.
Despite losing territory and retreating to the Sambisa forest, the militants are still active – most recently in Maiduguri which has come under attack over several days.
On Tuesday, a new video was released by the group which it said was filmed in Sambisa, a vast forest surrounding a game reserve.
However, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau failed to appear in it, fuelling speculation about his fate.
