The Day Before Elections, Nigeria Claims A Military Victory Over Boko Haram

Today the Nigerian military claimed it destroyed Boko Haram’s headquarters and retook the northeastern city occupied by the Islamist extremists last year.

NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton tells Here & Now host Jeremy Hobson that the timing seems rather convenient, coming on the eve of the elections when President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking to keep his seat.

The claims are difficult to verify, and Nigerians are skeptical of their truth, but Goodluck Jonathan and his closest competitor, Muhammadu Buhari, who is a former military general, both say they are tough on security and can defeat Boko Haram.