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Nigerian government has revealed that the country did not get the much needed support it deserved in the battle against Boko Haram insurgent from the United States government under former President Barrack Obama.
The revelation came ahead of the scheduled meeting on Monday, between President Muhammadu Buhari who arrived Washington DC on Sunday and the United States President Donald Trump.
Senior Special Assitant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who made the disclosure also disclosed that the meeting between Presidents Trump and Buhari will center on security especially on the fight against terrorism among others.
Shehu noted that the relationship between Nigeria and the United States has recorded remarkable improvements since the coming onboard of President Trump.
He also revealed that ” Buhari the first African head of government to visit the Trump White House and this is a pointer to two important things. One is, no matter how Nigerians take our own country, this is hugely an important country and this recognition is being manifested in this visit.
“But it is important to know that beyond the symbolism of the visit, there are important matters affecting both countries that will be placed on the table when the two Presidents meet. We have the understanding that the two delegations have their agenda clearly spelt out and there will be interest and focus on the matter of security and safety, focus on trade and investment and focus on democratic development in our country.
“It is important that cooperation between the two countries have manifestly increased under the Trump’s presidency. If you recall sometime back, the President had reason to openly complained that we are not receiving as much as we thought we deserve in terms of support and cooperation especially in our fight against terrorism back then during the Obama period.
” And it will seem that quite dramatically and interestingly, a lot of the obstacles are being removed under the Trump’s presidency and doors are being opened and we are receiving far more support than most people had expected.”
A pro Buhari rally by some Nigerians in the Disapora, welcomed the President at the Blair House, a development that was described as “very pleasant ” by Shehu.
According to him, ” this tells you that America is a totally different clime, there is a deep appreciation for the work the President is doing for our country.”
The leader of pro-Buhari support group in the US, Wale Adewoye, while speaking with Journalists said they were at the Blair House to declare their support the President.
“When we came we are over one hundred and fifty people but because of the cold and people needed to go back to work, so people went back.
“We realized that there is a lot of damage done to the county and when Buhari came into power, he tried at least to stop corruption in Nigeria, he is still working on it, it is not easy.
“So we just felt that we should support him in our little way, to encourage the government that we are behind him to support him. On our own way too, when we go back home, we make sure that we don’t influence things negatively, we work on our ways of life to live right
President Buhari was received by the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunke Amosun, his counterpart from Plateau State, Simon Lalong, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and her counterpart from House of Representatives Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje.
Others include the Chief of Defence Staff, Director General, NIA, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Nigeria Ambassador to the United States, Justice Sylvester Nsofor, rtd, among others.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
