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| President Muhammadu Buhari |
President Muhammadu Buhari has on Monday led the National Security team to Malabo
for talks with President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea on further
measures to protect the people and resources of the Niger Delta and Gulf of
Guinea.
The Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, stated in a
press release on Sunday that the conclusion and signing of an agreement by
Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea for the establishment of a combined maritime
policing and security patrol committee on Tuesday is expected to be the major
outcome of Buhari’s talks with his host, according to Special Adviser to the
President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.
Both Presidents,
according to Adesina, are also expected to discuss and agree on other
collaborative measures to combat crimes such as piracy, crude oil theft,
attacks on oil rigs, arms smuggling and human trafficking in the Gulf of
Guinea.
Both leaders
will also confer on the rescheduling of the joint summit of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central
African States (ECCAS) on additional cooperative measures to curb terrorism and
violent extremism in West and Central Africa.
“The
summit was to have been hosted by Equatorial Guinea last year, but was
postponed because of Nigeria’s general elections.
“In
accordance with the main focus and agenda of the trip, Buhari will be
accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd);
the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd); and
other senior security officials.
“The
Nigerian leader is scheduled to return to Abuja on Tuesday,” Adesina
stated.
It would be
recalled that in February, President Buhari said that his administration would
partner with the 11-member ECCAS to rid Nigeria and her neighbours of the
menace of the extremist Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Speaking at
the State House Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while
receiving a message from President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea,
Buhari had said that he welcomed the effort to organise a joint meeting between
ECCAS and ECOWAS with a view to coordinating their responses to the threat of terrorism
in the Lake Chad Basin area.
In a press
release dated February 12, 2016, Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu,
stated that Buhari particularly noted the role of Mbasogo in bringing about the
proposed summit and described the effort as very commendable.
“President
Buhari said he was deeply touched by the commitment shown in Nigeria’s security
by Equatorial Guinea and gave assurances of his commitment to enhancing
security and bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The
Special Envoy of the Equatorial Guinean President, Mr Juan Antonio Bibang
Nchuchuma, who brought the message, said his President was prepared to expand
and share security intelligence and information with Nigeria to help in the war
against corruption and terrorism. He also requested for a meeting of the
security chiefs from both countries,” Shehu had stated.
