Story highlights
Nigeria's president vowed that Boko Haram would
be beaten by the end of 2015
But terror group has continued to mount attacks,
despite efforts of Nigerian military
Critics say corruption, lack of coordination among
factors which have helped Boko Haram flourish
Editor's Note: Ryan Cummings is the chief security
analyst for sub-Saharan Africa at red24 , a crisis
management consultancy, and also a founding
member of the Nigeria Security Network , a non-
profit think tank. Follow him on Twitter
@Pol_Sec_Analyst . The opinions expressed in this
commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN)— "And I assure you that we will defeat Boko
Haram by the end of this year." This was the
pledge made by Nigerian President Muhammdu
Buhari to his Beninese counterpart, Boni Yayi,
during a gala dinner commemorating Benin's
independence during the summer of 2015.
It was a promise that the Nigerian head of state
would also reiterate to fellow Nigerians, who
eagerly waited for him to make good on his
promise and act with the decisiveness that Buhari
had accused his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan,
of lacking. Yet as 2015 drew to a close, the specter
of Boko Haram loomed as large as ever over
Africa's most populous state.
Indeed, less than 48 hours after the Buhari regime
announced that it had fulfilled its vow of defeating
the group, at least 50 people were killed in a wave
of violence in Nigeria's insurgent-embattled Borno
and Adamawa states. Those skeptical of Boko
Haram's defeat were vindicated, those residing
within the terrorists' deadly reach continue to live
in fear.
Nigeria's information minister, however,
downplayed the December 27 attacks and further
reaffirmed that Boko Haram was on the precipice
of being "wiped out." Lai Mohammed claimed to
local media that all insurgent-held territory had
been reclaimed and that Boko Haram no longer
possessed the operational capabilities to achieve
its raison d'etre, the creation of a "dawlah" -- or
Islamic-state -- in north-eastern Nigeria.
The problem with Mohammed's "impending
demise" narrative is that it equated loss of territory
with defeat. Prior to Boko Haram's capture in July
2014 of Damboa, the first Nigerian town to fall to
the extremist sect, its near decade-long
insurgency had been characterized by traditional
guerilla warfare. The group's favoured modus
operandi had been suicide bombings and hit-and-
run raids, not the capture and control of territory.


edition.cnn.com/2016/01/01/opinions/nigeria-boko-haram-fight/index.html?sr=fbCNN0101161/opinions/nigeria-boko-haram-fight/index.html0532PMVODtopLink&linkId=20029526

Abeg ring it in the ears of Lai Mohammed

CNN
Continue Negative News!

Oya Lai Mohammed, do PICKPIN

Our dullard president caused all this

Even cnn a foreign media know's the truth more than most blinded apc fans

Terrorism may never end; it's becoming obvious. I hope it does, though.

I am wailers flooding dis thread.. But when d news media told them that soldiers are fleeing maiduguri because o lack of weapons... they rained curses on d poor media house

" The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. "

Sai Baba!

Happy New Year to all people of goodwill.

They will never say anything good about an African country. Like what someone said earlier today, boko haram or shoul i say terrorism is like a virus. It cannot be totally eradicated but can be greatly minimized.

Hopefully, we will defeat Boko Haram, but let our government be honest with us. Lies can take you to the top, but may not sustain you there.
May God give Nigeria victory over terrorism and give our president wisdom and sound mind in 2016.

buhari is a dulllard

CNN should just shot up!!!

CNN and BBC shud shut the hell up. Take it or leave it insurgency in Nigeria and africa as a whole is sponsored by the westerners like they are doing with ISIS. By Gods grace we will triumph.
Also, we shud stop saying negative things to our leaders wat they need is our prayers and support.
I see better Nigeria.

The govt tried its best imposing timelines for defeating bh, this has been largely done, but requires more work to succeed. Though the article is the opinion of the author not cnn.

The Boko gees make not be running with their tails between their legs now but their days are numbered.

The west should not rejoice yet.

Chosen1984:
Abeg ring it in the ears of Lai Mohammed

...Do the western media have anything to say now, when they've predicted the end of nigeria in 2015 but they failed, nigeria survive till 2016! shame on them!

Wailing wailer CNN... ***IN APC ZOMBIE VOICE****

lair Muhammed is a charlatan - Amaechi

1st, for those who may not know, this is not CNN. This just "CNN Edition" - which is more like cnn's version of nairaland where people can post articles. CNN will never claim ownership of the contents on their edition "blog".

If you think buhari,lai mohammed and the nigerian army are not telling nigerians the truth about boko haram hit like,if otherwise hit share.

xpat1:
CNN should just shot up!!!

Ask CNN in which country on earth has American presences ever won the war on terror completely.

And they strike again

Fallujah was the cemetery of American soldiers.

They could not win against Vietnam.

ISIS is growing stronger.

Taliban is still alive.

Al Qaeda is still present.

What is CNN saying. Our Real Nigerian Avengers have defeated the terrorists. I'd they are sad, likewise the wailers, they can stroll into Sahara Desert.