TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday in Abu Dhabi that Nigeria had made significant progress towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency since his assumption of office on May 29, 2015.

Speaking at a meeting with Ban Ki Moon, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit, Buhari said that in collaboration with the multinational joint task force, the Nigeria armed forces had driven the insurgents from Nigerian territory into “fall-back positions.”

“They are currently not holding any territory today as we speak, ” the president told Ban Ki Moon.

According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman,  Buhari also told the UN secretary-general that Nigeria would persistently  pursue global action to reverse the drying up of  Lake Chad and save the lives of those who depend on it for survival.

“With all due respect to our neighbours, Nigeria has been worst hit by the drying up of the Lake Chad and we are hoping that the global community will support the process of halting the drying up of the lake, ” Buhari said.

Ban Ki Moon commended the president for his courage in  fighting  terrorism and corruption.

He said that Nigeria had made amazing progress against terrorism since Buhari assumed office, while the president’s war against corruption has boosted global confidence in the Nigerian economy.

 He urged the president to integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Nigeria’s economic and environmental vision.