We Can’t Allow Continuous Killings of Christians in Nigeria, Trump Tells Buhari
Tokunbo Adedoja in Washington, Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja, Eromosele Abiodun and Obinna Chima in Lagos
United States President Donald Trump played host to President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House Monday, telling the Nigerian president that the persistent wanton killings of Christians in Nigeria was a serious problem, which must not be allowed to continue.
Buhari, who arrived Washington on Sunday for a four-day visit to the U.S., was received by Trump at midday at the White House and ushered into the Oval Office, where both leaders exchanged pleasantries before proceeding to a closed-door meeting for talks bordering on the war against global terrorism and trade.
Buhari was the first leader from sub-Saharan Africa to visit Trump when he arrived at the White House. As they opened discussions in the Oval Office, Trump said it was important to meet face-to-face, especially on terrorism and terrorism-related issues.
We have a very big trade deal we’re working on for military equipment, helicopters and the like,†Trump added.
Trump also told Buhari that the protracted killings of Christians in the country was unacceptable and required working very hard to put paid to it, adding that having met Buhari before, a great relationship was being developed.
We had met before, developing great relationship. We look forward to our discussions today (yesterday). They are very important but again, especially as it relates to terrorism. That is terrorism here and terrorism all over the world.
It's a hot bird and we are going to be stopping them. Also, we have had a very serious problem with Christians who are being murdered, killed in Nigeria. We are going to be working on that problem, and working on that problem very, very hard because we can’t allow that to happen. Mr. President thank you for being here, thank you,†Trump said while receiving Buhari.
Responding, Buhari thanked the U.S. President for inviting him. He also thanked him for agreeing to sell 12 Tucano aircraft to Nigeria and expressed further appreciation to Trump for the physical involvement of the U.S. military in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria through training of Nigerian forces.
Buhari blamed the heinous killings being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen on the movement of militants from Libya following the death of its former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, saying the militants had proficient skills in shooting and killing.
He said whereas herdsmen in Nigeria were hitherto known for carrying only sticks, and machetes to cut grass for their herds, they are now armed with AK47 rifles, explaining that efforts were being made to stop cross-border movement and check the proliferation of arms in the West African sub-region.
Furthermore, he said the effective operations of the U.S., which he noted had largely incapacitated ISIS, had also helped to weaken Boko Haram which had pledged its loyalty to ISIS.
Thank you Mr. President for inviting me. It's a great honour. I am very grateful for it. Certainly, security is the main issue. We are very grateful to the United States for agreeing to give us the aircraft we asked for and the spare parts.
We are even more grateful for the physical presence of the United States military instructors that go into our institutions and train them, and go to the warfront in the North-east to see how they are performing as a result of the training given to them.
The commitment of the United States to get rid of terrorism across the world, we have had first-hand experience of that and we are very grateful for it.
The problem of the cattle rearers and herders in Nigeria is a very long historical thing. Nigerian herdsmen never carried anything more than a stick and occasionally, a machete to cut down foliage and give it to their animals.
These ones are carrying AK47 (rifles). So, I don't think people should underrate what happened in Libya. In the 43 years of Gadaffi, people were recruited from the Sahel. They were thought nothing other than shooting and killing.
With the demise of Gadaffi, they moved to their countries and their regions and they carried away with them the only experience they had and their training using weapons. And that is what is aggravating the situation.
We are doing our best to ensure that we stop cross-border movement and so on and to ensure that the proliferation of small arms in the region is checked.
But it is going to take time, and the action by the United States in trying to see the end of ISIS has helped us a lot because Boko Haram in Nigeria at one time made a statement that they were loyal to ISIS.
And now that ISIS has virtually gone with the help of the United States, we are very grateful for that and we are sure that we are stabilising the situation of security in Nigeria, Buhari submitted.
Trump, who echoed Buhari that ISIS had been decimated, noted that the story had not been the same with Boko Haram which he said had been terrible, as he proceeded to ask Buhari what he was doing about the Chibok and Dapchi girls who are still in captivity.
We have very much decimated ISIS. Much has taken place over the last 12 months but Boko Haram has been terrible and how did you do with the young women that were kidnapped? How was that going?Trump asked Buhari.
Responding, the Nigerian president said the kidnap of the Chibok girls took place before his administration but added that about 130 had been brought back.
Buhari also said of the 105 Dapchi girls who were kidnapped last February, 100 of them had been released, four of them died, while one was still in captivity.
Thanking the United Nations (UN) for its roles in the release of the kidnapped girls, Buhari said efforts were still being made to secure the release of the remaining girls in captivity.
The Chibok girls kidnap was before we came in 2014. We have only a number of them, we recovered about 130 of them. But the Dapchi ones, they were 105 that were kidnapped. We got 100 back, four died, one is still held in captivity and we are very grateful to the United Nations that is acting in between us and the kidnappers and we haven't given up.
We are trying to get everybody back to join their families and their schools,†Buhari said.
In his final response, Trump said: “A terrible problem. Mr. President, thank you very much.
After the closed-door meeting between the Nigerian and U.S. delegation, Trump and Buhari held a joint press briefing at the Rose Garden of the White House, where the American president said he was honoured to host Buhari in the White House, saying Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa.
Trump noted that he had conveyed to Buhari during their discussions that the U.S. deeply values and appreciates Nigeria's role as a strong democratic leader in the region.
He added: “The United States is working to expand trade and commercial ties with African nations, including Nigeria, to create jobs and wealth in all of our countries.
We hope to be the economic partner of choice for nations across the continent and all around the world, and I hope you see what is happening all around the world with respect to trade and the United States we are being respected again.
I hope all African countries and countries throughout the world that we also will be supporting you and that they would likewise support us in our bid along with Mexico and Canada for the 2026 World Cup. We will be watching very closely and any help they can give us in that bid, we will appreciate it.
I am pleased that Nigeria is one of our largest trading partners in the region, and we look forward to growing our trade based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity.
But we give Nigeria well over $1 billion in aid every year and we have already started talking with the president about taking down the trade barriers, very substantial barriers in the United States trading with Nigeria, so we think that we are owed that.
President Buhari is also taking serious steps to fight corruption and improve the Nigerian business climate and most of all to me is ripping down those trade barriers.â€
According to the U.S. president, the elimination of trade barriers would make it easier for Nigerian and U.S companies to invest, adding that American companies would do so substantially once a level playing field is created.
These measures will make it easier for Nigeria and U.S. companies to invest and we will be investing substantially if they can create a level playing field.
I also want to thank President Buhari in the partnership and leadership in the fight against terrorism – he has been a real leader. Nigeria was one of the first countries to join the coalition to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) and Nigerian forces are currently leading the regional effort against ISIS in West Africa and doing very well as we have.
Nigeria is also leading the effort in the fight against Boko Haram, another ruthless jihadist terrorist group – you have been reading about them, they kidnapped the young girls and young women, many of whom we have never seen again.
This summer, it was my honour to meet with two brave young women, Joy Bishara and Ledia Pogu, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014 in a secondary school in Nigeria. I was deeply moved by their stories of courage, resilience and survival.
I told the two girls my administration is committed to combating the scourge of kidnapping and human trafficking and smuggling. In the world today, there are more human traffickers and slavery than at any time in human history.
We are helping Nigeria by facilitating training and providing military equipment to the Nigerian forces. For example, we recently sold Nigeria 12 A29 Super Tucano aircraft in the first ever sale of American military equipment to Nigeria.
“We are deeply concerned by the religious violence in Nigeria, especially the burning of churches, the killing and persecution of Christians – it is a horrible story.
We encourage Nigeria, the federal, state and local leaders to do everything in their power to immediately secure the affected communities and the innocent civilians of all, including Muslims and Christians,†Trump added.
While thanking Buhari for the visit, he described Nigeria as a valued partner, stressing that he looked forward to deepening Nigeria-U.S. cooperation and forging an even closer partnership.
The U.S., Trump added, was committed to working with Nigeria as it seeks a future of strength, prosperity and peace for both countries.
In his response, Buhari pointed out that both countries share a long history of cordial relations, which encompasses political, economic, military, social and cultural cooperation.
Both countries, Buhari added, maintain a strategic partnership for peace and security, conflict resolution as well as the global fight against terrorism.
We also share similar features as secular federal states, a similar democratic model of governance, and are committed to the universal value of fundamental human rights and freedom, free enterprise, social justice and the rule of law.
Buhari disclosed that the two delegations, during their interaction, discussed security, trade, governance, human rights and the humanitarian crisis in the North-east. President Trump, his team, myself and the Nigerian team discussed issues relating to security, trade, governance, human rights and the humanitarian crisis.
United States President Donald Trump played host to President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House Monday, telling the Nigerian president that the persistent wanton killings of Christians in Nigeria was a serious problem, which must not be allowed to continue.
Buhari, who arrived Washington on Sunday for a four-day visit to the U.S., was received by Trump at midday at the White House and ushered into the Oval Office, where both leaders exchanged pleasantries before proceeding to a closed-door meeting for talks bordering on the war against global terrorism and trade.
Buhari was the first leader from sub-Saharan Africa to visit Trump when he arrived at the White House. As they opened discussions in the Oval Office, Trump said it was important to meet face-to-face, especially on terrorism and terrorism-related issues.
We have a very big trade deal we’re working on for military equipment, helicopters and the like,†Trump added.
Trump also told Buhari that the protracted killings of Christians in the country was unacceptable and required working very hard to put paid to it, adding that having met Buhari before, a great relationship was being developed.
We had met before, developing great relationship. We look forward to our discussions today (yesterday). They are very important but again, especially as it relates to terrorism. That is terrorism here and terrorism all over the world.
It's a hot bird and we are going to be stopping them. Also, we have had a very serious problem with Christians who are being murdered, killed in Nigeria. We are going to be working on that problem, and working on that problem very, very hard because we can’t allow that to happen. Mr. President thank you for being here, thank you,†Trump said while receiving Buhari.
Responding, Buhari thanked the U.S. President for inviting him. He also thanked him for agreeing to sell 12 Tucano aircraft to Nigeria and expressed further appreciation to Trump for the physical involvement of the U.S. military in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria through training of Nigerian forces.
Buhari blamed the heinous killings being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen on the movement of militants from Libya following the death of its former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, saying the militants had proficient skills in shooting and killing.
He said whereas herdsmen in Nigeria were hitherto known for carrying only sticks, and machetes to cut grass for their herds, they are now armed with AK47 rifles, explaining that efforts were being made to stop cross-border movement and check the proliferation of arms in the West African sub-region.
Furthermore, he said the effective operations of the U.S., which he noted had largely incapacitated ISIS, had also helped to weaken Boko Haram which had pledged its loyalty to ISIS.
Thank you Mr. President for inviting me. It's a great honour. I am very grateful for it. Certainly, security is the main issue. We are very grateful to the United States for agreeing to give us the aircraft we asked for and the spare parts.
We are even more grateful for the physical presence of the United States military instructors that go into our institutions and train them, and go to the warfront in the North-east to see how they are performing as a result of the training given to them.
The commitment of the United States to get rid of terrorism across the world, we have had first-hand experience of that and we are very grateful for it.
The problem of the cattle rearers and herders in Nigeria is a very long historical thing. Nigerian herdsmen never carried anything more than a stick and occasionally, a machete to cut down foliage and give it to their animals.
These ones are carrying AK47 (rifles). So, I don't think people should underrate what happened in Libya. In the 43 years of Gadaffi, people were recruited from the Sahel. They were thought nothing other than shooting and killing.
With the demise of Gadaffi, they moved to their countries and their regions and they carried away with them the only experience they had and their training using weapons. And that is what is aggravating the situation.
We are doing our best to ensure that we stop cross-border movement and so on and to ensure that the proliferation of small arms in the region is checked.
But it is going to take time, and the action by the United States in trying to see the end of ISIS has helped us a lot because Boko Haram in Nigeria at one time made a statement that they were loyal to ISIS.
And now that ISIS has virtually gone with the help of the United States, we are very grateful for that and we are sure that we are stabilising the situation of security in Nigeria, Buhari submitted.
Trump, who echoed Buhari that ISIS had been decimated, noted that the story had not been the same with Boko Haram which he said had been terrible, as he proceeded to ask Buhari what he was doing about the Chibok and Dapchi girls who are still in captivity.
We have very much decimated ISIS. Much has taken place over the last 12 months but Boko Haram has been terrible and how did you do with the young women that were kidnapped? How was that going?Trump asked Buhari.
Responding, the Nigerian president said the kidnap of the Chibok girls took place before his administration but added that about 130 had been brought back.
Buhari also said of the 105 Dapchi girls who were kidnapped last February, 100 of them had been released, four of them died, while one was still in captivity.
Thanking the United Nations (UN) for its roles in the release of the kidnapped girls, Buhari said efforts were still being made to secure the release of the remaining girls in captivity.
The Chibok girls kidnap was before we came in 2014. We have only a number of them, we recovered about 130 of them. But the Dapchi ones, they were 105 that were kidnapped. We got 100 back, four died, one is still held in captivity and we are very grateful to the United Nations that is acting in between us and the kidnappers and we haven't given up.
We are trying to get everybody back to join their families and their schools,†Buhari said.
In his final response, Trump said: “A terrible problem. Mr. President, thank you very much.
After the closed-door meeting between the Nigerian and U.S. delegation, Trump and Buhari held a joint press briefing at the Rose Garden of the White House, where the American president said he was honoured to host Buhari in the White House, saying Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa.
Trump noted that he had conveyed to Buhari during their discussions that the U.S. deeply values and appreciates Nigeria's role as a strong democratic leader in the region.
He added: “The United States is working to expand trade and commercial ties with African nations, including Nigeria, to create jobs and wealth in all of our countries.
We hope to be the economic partner of choice for nations across the continent and all around the world, and I hope you see what is happening all around the world with respect to trade and the United States we are being respected again.
I hope all African countries and countries throughout the world that we also will be supporting you and that they would likewise support us in our bid along with Mexico and Canada for the 2026 World Cup. We will be watching very closely and any help they can give us in that bid, we will appreciate it.
I am pleased that Nigeria is one of our largest trading partners in the region, and we look forward to growing our trade based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity.
But we give Nigeria well over $1 billion in aid every year and we have already started talking with the president about taking down the trade barriers, very substantial barriers in the United States trading with Nigeria, so we think that we are owed that.
President Buhari is also taking serious steps to fight corruption and improve the Nigerian business climate and most of all to me is ripping down those trade barriers.â€
According to the U.S. president, the elimination of trade barriers would make it easier for Nigerian and U.S companies to invest, adding that American companies would do so substantially once a level playing field is created.
These measures will make it easier for Nigeria and U.S. companies to invest and we will be investing substantially if they can create a level playing field.
I also want to thank President Buhari in the partnership and leadership in the fight against terrorism – he has been a real leader. Nigeria was one of the first countries to join the coalition to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) and Nigerian forces are currently leading the regional effort against ISIS in West Africa and doing very well as we have.
Nigeria is also leading the effort in the fight against Boko Haram, another ruthless jihadist terrorist group – you have been reading about them, they kidnapped the young girls and young women, many of whom we have never seen again.
This summer, it was my honour to meet with two brave young women, Joy Bishara and Ledia Pogu, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014 in a secondary school in Nigeria. I was deeply moved by their stories of courage, resilience and survival.
I told the two girls my administration is committed to combating the scourge of kidnapping and human trafficking and smuggling. In the world today, there are more human traffickers and slavery than at any time in human history.
We are helping Nigeria by facilitating training and providing military equipment to the Nigerian forces. For example, we recently sold Nigeria 12 A29 Super Tucano aircraft in the first ever sale of American military equipment to Nigeria.
“We are deeply concerned by the religious violence in Nigeria, especially the burning of churches, the killing and persecution of Christians – it is a horrible story.
We encourage Nigeria, the federal, state and local leaders to do everything in their power to immediately secure the affected communities and the innocent civilians of all, including Muslims and Christians,†Trump added.
While thanking Buhari for the visit, he described Nigeria as a valued partner, stressing that he looked forward to deepening Nigeria-U.S. cooperation and forging an even closer partnership.
The U.S., Trump added, was committed to working with Nigeria as it seeks a future of strength, prosperity and peace for both countries.
In his response, Buhari pointed out that both countries share a long history of cordial relations, which encompasses political, economic, military, social and cultural cooperation.
Both countries, Buhari added, maintain a strategic partnership for peace and security, conflict resolution as well as the global fight against terrorism.
We also share similar features as secular federal states, a similar democratic model of governance, and are committed to the universal value of fundamental human rights and freedom, free enterprise, social justice and the rule of law.
Buhari disclosed that the two delegations, during their interaction, discussed security, trade, governance, human rights and the humanitarian crisis in the North-east. President Trump, his team, myself and the Nigerian team discussed issues relating to security, trade, governance, human rights and the humanitarian crisis.
Post a Comment