PRESIDENT Barack Obama is seriously considering visiting Nigeria before the end of his presidency in appreciation of the country's recent endeavours at combating the scourge of corruption.  

In the past, President Obama has bypassed Nigeria whenever he has visited Africa to register US opposition to human rights abuses, corruption and election malpractices. Of late, however, Washington has warmed up to Nigeria in response to smooth of transition of power last year during with ex-president Dr Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat and President Muhammadu Buhari's fight against corruption. 

Given the new political environment, President Obama has hinted that he may make a trip to Nigeria before the end of his tenure next January. Already, the US has lifted its arms embargo on Nigeria, supplying increased amounts of military hardware to enable the army combat Boko Haram effectively. 

Earlier this week, the US government has said it is poised to sell up to 12 light attack aircraft to Nigeria. This decision on arms sales comes less than two years after the US blocked the sale of American-made Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria from Israel because of human rights violations in the country’s prosecution of the war against Boko Haram. 

Last year, President Buhari while in Washington, criticised a US law, which was used to block the sale of the Cobra helicopters by the Israelis to the Nigerian government in 2014. Often, the Pentagon bypassed Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, choosing to work directly with neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic. 

In addition to citing corruption and sweeping human rights abuses by Nigerian soldiers, American officials were hesitant to share intelligence with the Nigerian military, saying Boko Haram had infiltrated it. Since assuming power, President Buhari has also pledged to investigate allegations of human rights abuses and has said he would not tolerate them.