Obama, Nigerian president to huddle on Boko Haram

President Obama will host Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House next month, a spokesman said Thursday.

“The visit will underscore the United States’ longstanding friendship with Nigeria, our commitment to strengthening and expanding our partnership with Nigeria’s new government,” press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.

{mosads}The July 20 visit will be Buhari’s first since being sworn in on May 29. His defeat of former president Goodluck Jonathan earlier this year marked the first democratic transition of power in Nigeria’s history.

Obama and Buhari are expected to discuss the fight against the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which gained international attention last April after it kidnapped almost 300 schoolgirls.

Obama has faced pressure from some members of Congress to come up with a strategy to combat the group. Close to 18,000 people in Nigeria have been killed since the group began its attacks in 2009. Just this week, at least 40 people were killed in a strike in northeast Nigeria.