by Ranti Joseph

President Goodluck Jonathan says insurgent group Boko Haram have traveled to the Middle East for training with Islamic State militants (ISIS).

Jonathan didn’t give the name the countries where the fighters were allegedly trained, but in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) on Wednesday, the President said he’s long suspected Boko Haram of having alliances with international extremist groups.

“So, we know the links are there. But even now, we may not know the degree of linkages as to how much funds are coming in from them, the kind of volume of weapons coming in from them, the nationalities coming from them. But the training, because some of the Boko Haram members go to have their training in the ISIS camp and come back,” he said.

In the interview, Jonathan recognized both the intervention of Nigeria’s neighbors as well as the acquisition of new weapons for turning the tide against the militants.

He hit back at criticisms that foreign troops aren’t being allowed to push into Boko Haram strongholds deep in Nigerian territory. He said Cameroon previously denied Nigeria permission to pursue Boko Haram into its territory, and added that restrictions on foreign troops were matters of coordination.

“I think the idea is that look, for any major aggression, we should know. Where possible, let some Nigerian soldiers also be with you,” he added.

Jonathan explained that foreign technicians are present in the northeast to teach Nigerian troops on how to use their new weapons, since there wasn’t time to train the troops before they were deployed. He said two unnamed companies were involved in the training but declined to offer nationalities or numbers of the trainers.

“So we now have this technical people who are trainers and technicians, who are to train our people on how to use them, and technicians that help the maintenance, at the same time training our people how to maintain this equipment,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan dismissed the suggestion that Boko Haram’s insurgency had come to define his time in office.

Jonathan agreed that Boko Haram’s insurgency is a major security issue, but Boko Haram should not define Nigeria.

Jonathan predicted that the north-eastern states of Yobe and Adamawa would be cleared of Boko Haram territory before the middle of next week. He said he hopes neighboring Borno State, where the group started, will be cleared in the next three weeks.

But Jonathan said he expects Boko Haram to continue bombing markets and bus stops stating that the government’s strategy is to improve intelligence gathering as well as job and educational prospects in the northeast as a long-term strategy to destroy the group.