Buhari and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday in Abuja that corruption was largely responsible for the inability of the Nigerian military to quickly defeat Boko Haram.

Speaking at an audience with the Grand Imam of  Egypt’s Al-Azhar , Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, President Buhari said  that the loss of 14 local government areas to Boko Haram had greatly tarnished the reputation of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The President noted, however, that with measures taken by his administration to curb corruption and provide better weaponry, logistics, training and welfare for soldiers on the frontlines, the Nigerian military  has now almost totally incapacitated Boko Haram as a fighting force and recovered all territories that were lost to the terrorist sect.

“When we curbed corruption and removed the  injustice in the military, we began to make progress,” President Buhari said.

Welcoming the support of Muslims across the world for Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram, the President said that the war against terrorism was also a war against injustice, which is not condoned by Islam and all the major religions.

“You can’t kill the innocent in churches or in mosques and shout Allahu Akbar,” President Buhari said, adding that the visit of Dr. El-Tayeb and his expression of solidarity with Nigeria in the war against terrorism was a clear indication of global Muslim support for Nigeria against the unjust killing of the innocent by terrorists.

The President, who reaffirmed  his Administration’s determination to resettle all persons who were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, thanked the Grand Imam for the donation of scholarships, educational and medical supplies to Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons.

Dr. El-Tayeb told President Buhari that Muslims all over the world share Nigeria’s pains from terrorism and will continue to support efforts to ensure the return of peace and unity amongst all faiths in the country.