U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has indicated he would be going to Nigeria to meet with the country's two leading presidential candidates to discuss the prospects of a free and fair process. According to the States Department, Kerry will travel to Nigeria's largest city, Lagos, on Sunday, and will discuss the significance of ensuring that the upcoming elections are peaceful and credible.
Growing insecurity linked to Islamist militants has been a major issue for President Goodluck Jonathan weeks before the polls in which he faces a rival, Buhari, whose last election loss triggered a violence that killed thousands. The United States had earlier indicated that the upcoming election is instrumental to the sharp rise in these attacks, including killings by Boko Haram, a group which has killed thousands since launching an uprising five years ago.
This month alone, Boko Haram has escalated attacks through suicide bombings and other ruthless strategies, and seized more territory in Nigeria's northeast. On Jan. 3, for instance, the group swept into the Nigerian town of Baga close to Chad, overrunning a military base and killing hundreds of civilians over several days, International Guardian gathered. These thread of assault impelled further discussions about organizing a multinational force to repel the rebels.
Kerry’s visit came at the right time, to dilute the growing tension intensified by partisan violence and unrelenting terrorist insurgence. The secretary will meet with incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and main opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari in separate forums to discuss prospects, possibilities, and implications of the upcoming polls to the survival of Nigeria as a nation. Political observers believe that Kerry’s visit would enthuse hope among a populace devastated by a string of politically motivated killings, as well as reinstate America’s interest in a peaceful nation. International Guardian will coverage John Kerry’s visit with comprehensive updates.
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