Boko Haram Degraded But Still Preys On Soft Targets – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Turkey-Africa Summit to work with African countries on programs like the Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management to combat climate change on the continent.

President Buhari made the request on Saturday at the third edition of the Summit in Istanbul.

He also appealed for specific support to help the African continent overcome terrorism and insurgency.

President Buhari stated that the Boko Haram terrorist organisation is still active and preying on soft targets, despite being fractured by internal struggle and decimated by Nigeria’s security forces.

The President expressed delight that the Summit convened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has given due consideration to the issue of terrorism, while also focusing on development and infrastructure in Africa.

According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said ”Another area this partnership must focus on is the global challenge of climate change which is impacting us in Nigeria, Turkey, across Africa, and indeed across the world.

”It has become a catalyst for conflict through food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood and youth migration, among others.

”The trend is the same around the world where communities are overwhelmed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flood, drought and desertification.

”I want to seize this opportunity to appeal for support for initiatives such as Africa’s Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which is designed to fight the effects of climate change and desertification in Africa.

”The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in the 11 countries of the Sahel-Sahara strip, capture 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million green jobs by 2030,” he said.