President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday hosted his Nigerien counterpart, Mohamed Bazoum, to a Ramadan Iftar (breaking of fast) at the State House, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Iftar dinner was meant to share blessings of Ramadan while promoting harmony and mutual understanding between Nigeria and Republic of Niger.
The visiting president and his delegation arrived at 6.45 p.m, and he was received by Buhari at the State House Mosque, where they prayed together before proceeding to the Banquet Hall.
Buhari had earlier in the day in his office met with the Nigerien leader, who was on his first international trip after inauguration on April 2.
The two sub-regional leaders had discussed issues of mutual interest, including security and economy.
President Buhari yesterday joined Muslim faithful in the State House mosque for the Ramadan Tafsir (explanation of the Qur’an).
The President, who was accompanied by personal aides, was attending the Tafsir for the first time in two years, following the closure of the Mosque throughout the Ramadan last year due to the restrictions in public gatherings put in place by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, now renamed Presidential Steering Committee (PSC).
In his sermon, the Chief Imam of the Villa, Sheikh Abdulwahid Abubakar Sulaiman, lamented that groups and individuals have been spreading concocted and senseless stories regarding COVID-19, misleading a large number of people.
He called the epidemic ”a trial from the Almighty, as well as a leveller and equalizer of humanity.”
The Chief Imam urged Nigerians to continue to observe the regulations put in place by the relevant authorities to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Some top officials of the Nigerian government at the dinner included Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffery Onyeama; Minister of Defence Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd); and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Others were the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Munguno (rtd); Director General of National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufa’I and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
On the entourage of Bazoum were Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hassoumi Massasou; Deputy Chief of Staff, Djibo Daouda; and Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria, Alat Migaskia.
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