United States of America’s Vice President, Joe Biden, told President Muhammadu Buhari, that Nigeria cannot achieve victory in its terror war through military option only.

Buhari is currently on a four-day official visit to the US.

Biden, who said this during a breakfast meeting with Buhari on Monday at his official residence, Naval Observatory, stated that for the war against the insurgent group, Boko Haram to be won, Buhari must combine military option with strong socio-economic support programmes.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity,  Femi Adesina, he said the meeting afforded the two leaders an opportunity to compare notes on the terror war.

“At the meeting, which held at the Naval Observatory, official residence of the American Vice President, Biden shared with his guest what the US had learnt from the terror war, counseling that victory cannot come from military option alone.

“Military option must be combined with strong socio-economic support programmes.” VP Biden said, promising that the US would work with Nigeria in that direction, the statement read in part.

Biden further assured Buhari of the goodwill of the US in rebuilding the Nigerian economy.

However, he said corruption and weak institutions must be tackled if Nigeria was to benefit from reforms adding that seasoned technocrats must manage key sectors of the Nigerian economy, and only then would investors be attracted to the country.

While responding, Buhari noted that the visit of the Secretary of State, John Kerry, was critical as it sent home the message that America would not brook the subversion of the people’s will.

“On oil theft, the Nigerian President estimated losses at between $10bn and $20bn, stressing that such income could have been deployed with salutary impact on various spheres of national life like education and healthcare, among others.” the statement added.

Both America and Nigeria were said to have pledged renewed commitment to work as partners at the meeting.

Janeth J