BOKO Haram terrorist have now been degraded, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Mr Buhari stated this on Tuesday while addressing Nigerians on the 19th celebration of the uninterrupted reign on democracy in the country.

His new position on the terrorist group differs from his administration’s claim the Boko Haram have been ‘technically defeated.’

Other officials including military chiefs have also claimed, at different times, that the terror group has been ‘defeated,’ a claim faulted by many Nigerians who make reference to the continuous killings by the terror group.





The president’s statement on Tuesday appears a clarification of his controversial declaration in December 2015 that the insurgent group has been ‘technically defeated.’

Since Mr. Buhari made the statement, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed in suicide attacks, and coordinated attacks on communities in the North-east region.

Similarly, in his 2018 New Year’s Day speech, Mr President said the insurgents have been beaten.

“We have since beaten Boko Haram,” he said. “Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America.”



In his latest description, Mr Buhari also flashed back to the situation before his ascension.

“Public safety and security remains the primary duty of this government. Before this administration came into being three years ago, Boko Haram held large areas of land spanning several Local Governments in the North East.

“Today, the capacity of the insurgents has been degraded leading to the re-establishment of authority of government and the release of captives including, happily, 106 Chibok and 104 Dapchi girls, and over 16,000 other persons held by the Boko Haram,” Mr Buhari said in his Democracy Day Speech.

Since assuming office, Mr President said, the fight against Boko Haram has led to release over of 16,000 people.

He commended the Armed Forces and the multi-country security force for the feat.

Mr Buhari pledged his administration’s commitment to end the insurgency.

The Boko Haram insurgency has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009 according to the Borno government.