Challenges loom for Nigeria’s new leader

Poverty, terror, corruption temper elation over victory.

ABUJA, NIGERIA — As Nigerians celebrated the electrifying victory Wednesday that returned one of its harshest former dictators to power, sobering challenges confront Muhammadu Buhari, from an Islamic insurgency that has killed thousands to widespread poverty and graft.

The 72-year-old Buhari made history as the first opposition party candidate to win elections in Africa’s most populous nation, ending President Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for another term. For a former general who three decades ago led Nigeria following a coup, it was an amazing transformation to a democratically elected president.

Buhari warned the country’s Boko Haram insurgents that he would be coming after them.

“Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our will and commitment to rid this nation of terror,” he said Wednesday. “We shall spare no effort until we defeat terrorism.”

The president-elect also said corruption would not be tolerated after he takes office May 29.

As Nigeria’s leader three decades ago, he returned looted state assets to government coffers, but he also sent soldiers into the streets with whips to enforce traffic laws and imposed humiliating punishment on tardy civil servants.

Buhari, who insists he has undergone radical change since then and now embraces democra- cy, pledged Wednesday to take on the twin scourges of corruption and the Islamic uprising.

“Corruption attacks and seeks to destroy our national institutions and character ... distorts the economy and creates a class of unjustly enriched people,” Buhari said, wearing splendid white robes with gold embroidery. “Such an illegal yet powerful force soon comes to undermine democracy because it has amassed so much money that they believe they can buy government.”

BEN CURTIS / AP Supporters of opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari celebrate Tuesday in Kano as Buhari, a former dictator, defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.