The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Adeleke faults Buhari’s spokesman on forgery allegation

    Senator Ademola Adeleke, representing Osun West Senatorial District has faulted allegation that he presented forged school results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the last governorship election in Osun State.

    Adeleke, who attributed the allegation to the spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo (SAN), argued that the lawyer acted out of ignorance.

    The Senator, in a statement authored by Niyi Owolade for the Ademola Adeleke campaign Organisation, said he did not, at any time forge any certificate for election or any other purpose.

    Part of the statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a tweet credited to Mr. Festus Keyamo that Senator Ademola Adeleke forged a statement of result he presented for election and that WAEC did not attest his certificate.

    “We suspect that Mr. Keyamo must have been misinformed or failed to get his facts correctly.

    “For his information and that of the general public, both WAEC and the school principal of Ede Muslim High school, Ede attested Senator Adeleke’s result through sworn affidavits before FCT High Court, Bwari.

    “We advise the President’s campaign spokesman to get his facts straight before making public statements.

    “Being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria demands that level of responsibility. Senator Ademola Adeleke did not at any time forge any certificate for this election or for any other purpose.

    “Let us repeat for the umpteenth time that the principal of Ede Muslim High School, Ede and WAEC were summoned by the court in a case filed by the APC against Senator Adeleke.

    “The principal through a sworn affidavit attested the statement of results presented by the PDP candidate for his election and a Deputy Registrar of WAEC did the same through an affidavit of evidence.

    READ ALSO: Adeleke qualifies to be governor, says Appeal Court

    “The two affidavits were widely published in the newspapers and are available in court papers. WAEC not only attested Adeleke’s result, the school authority, through the principal also did.

    “At this stage in Osun election cases, all the facts are in public domain and nothing can be spinned again.

    “First, the public is fully aware that both WAEC and the Principal attested to Adeleke’s qualification.

    “Secondly, by the combined effect of Sections 177 and 318 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, Senator Ademola Adeleke is qualified to contest for the office of a State Governor.

    “Thirdly and much more critical, WAEC and the principal affirmed in their respective affidavits that there was no forgery as results submitted by Adeleke tallied with their records.

    “We wish to conclude by informing the public once again that apart from the above attestation of Adeleke’s qualification, there are two subsisting high court judgments, affirming Senator Adeleke’s eligibility to contest for office if Governor.”

  • ‘We’re still searching for Chibok girls’, says Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, on Monday said the search for the remaining abducted Chibok girls was still on.

    He however said activities of Boko Haram have been confined to Lake Chad region and fringes of Sambisa forest.

    Buratai spoke while delivering the maiden lecture of the Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs at the Igbinedion University, Okada headquarters of Ovia North East local government area.

    He stated that complex security challenges like the Boko Haram activities required political and security solutions that ensure that democracies rebound stronger after a crisis.

    Buratai said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has fulfilled the pledge to support the by donating the sum of $100 million.

    The Army Chief said the current political leadership has demonstrated strong political will, purposeful direction and resourcing that galvanised the nation against the common enemy.

    He informed the gathering that adequate resources were provided to re-kit, procure more arms and ammunition, vehicles and other logistics required to prosecute the campaign against insurgency.

    According to him: “Military leadership invariably draws inspiration from the political leadership and this allows it develop military strategic objectives that are to be achieved

    “One of the silent but radical changes in the operations was changing the orientation and mind-set of troops from a defensive to an offensive posture. We also created the Theatre Command to coordinate the activities of the divisions involved in the operations.

    READ ALSO: Chibok girls are abandoned, says #BBOG

    “Socio-economic activities and free movement of people and goods have resumed in many areas.

    “Significant improvements can be attributed to the systematic campaign led by the NA in conjunction with other Services and elements of national power

    “Success recorded so far is an indication that for Nigeria’s democracy to be consolidated, the military must not only play its part but must also fulfill the constitutional roles assigned to them.”

    He assured the Army under his leadership would partner with the institution to build officers’ intellectual capacity.

    Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the centre when operational would carry out research that interrogates emerging security challenges of local and global concern.

    Prof. Ezemonye noted the strategy was to create a Faculty that provides knowledge based interventions for effective enforcement response, being a rich blend of academic researchers in security affairs and practitioners from the military and allied agencies.

  • ‘Kachikwu’s visit to Exxon Mobil FPSO was to increase production’

    The Ministry of Petroleum Resources Monday said that visit by Minister of State Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu to the ERHA FPSO operated by ExxonMobil was to increase crude oil production and also unlock the gas.

    The ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Olujimi Oyetomi, who made this known in a statement Monday said that the “This visit by Dr. Kachikwu not only marks a defining one for the Nation but also highlights a personal achievement for the Minister considering that he took on his current portfolio from his then position as the Executive Vice Chairman of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and General Counsel for ExxonMobil Nigeria affiliate Upstream and Downstream Companies in Nigeria.

     “This latest round of visits to the FPSO’s is to provoke the Oil Production Fields of Nigeria to ramp up their crude production and unlock gas in line with the Gas Revolution Agenda of the #7BigWins. He was received by Richard Laing, Executive Director and Production Manager of ExxonMobil while Scott Hommema, PhD, the General Manager, Deepwater Operations and Joint Interest, took him and his delegation on a tour of the FPSO.”

    The statement said that while addressing key business concerns of Exxon Mobil, Dr. Kachikwu urged them to not only focus on the profitability of the firm but also on giving back to the society having been doing business around the country for a long time.

    He commended the crew on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria for their Sacrifice, urgency of attention and value addition while conveying President Muhammadu Buhari’s deep commitment to the welfare of those on the production fields.

    Kachikwu name-checked the Department of Petroleum Resources’ automation initiatives that include Crude Oil and LNG Tracking (COLT), Automatic Downstream System (ADS), Accelerated Lease Renewal Program (ALRP) and others.

    He also referenced the community engagement drive of the organization evidenced by the peace and harmony seen in operating areas.

    The Executive Director and Production Manager of ExxonMobil, Richard Laing, also used the opportunity to firmly debunk the unsubstantiated rumor about the organizations exit from Nigeria.

    He further noted that the ERHA field is located in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 133 and ExxonMobil holds a 56.25% participating interest while Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) holds the remaining 43.75% share. The Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) has about 2.2 million barrels of storage capacity making it one of the largest of its kind, globally.

  • 9th NASS: Gender rights activist urges more leadership role for women

    A gender rights activist and politician, Mrs Ann Agom-Eze has called for the inclusion of more women legislators in the leadership of ninth National Assembly (NASS).

    Agom-Eze made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday.

    She said that apart from the positions of Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives, other leadership positions including deputy senate president and deputy speaker, among others, could be allocated to women.

    The gender rights activist said that women had got all it took to be good leaders of the national assembly.

    She said that the ninth national assembly would be more vibrant, resourceful and more focused for effective governance, if more women were saddled with more leadership responsibilities.

    Agom-Eze urged the leadership of the two leading political parties, APC and PDP, to ensure that female legislators elected under their platforms were elected into the leadership positions of the two chambers.

    “As managers of the homes, women have gotten the requisite skills to show good leadership and these virtues have been displayed by women who have been appointed into leadership positions in the country in recent past.

    “The Oby Ezekwesilis, Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealas, late Dora Akunyilis, among others, were women who excelled in their different positions as ministers and leaders.

    “I believe that female legislators will do excellently well, if given the opportunity.

    “I am therefore calling on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to allocate leadership positions to women in the Senate and House of Representatives upon inauguration.

    “The era when women were given the back seat is over. Women should be encouraged to come out and showcase their leadership prowess by being elected into leadership positions,’’ Agom-Eze said.

    The former Permanent Secretary and aspirant for the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat in under APC further urged female lawmakers-elect to reach out to their male counterparts to negotiate for leadership positions.

    “I believe that the female legislators in both the Senate and House of Representatives can get what they want if they can come together, reach out to their male counterparts and negotiate with them.

    “Power is gotten through struggle and also by negotiation and in this particular instance women can get what they want through negotiation” she said..

    The gender rights activist said negotiation was the best approach, considering the fewness in the number of the elected female lawmakers.

    She expressed confidence that the in-coming national assembly would work in synergy with the executive arm of government to ensure smooth administration of the country.

    The politician appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to include more women in his government in his second term administration.

  • Why Buhari won Nassarawa, by Al-Makura

    Nassarawa State outgoing Governor Tanko Al-Makura spoke on live Television Continental programme, ‘The Platform’, anchored by SAM OMATSEYE, on the implications of President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory for the state and country.

    For the first time, Nasarawa State delivered the presidency to your party. President Buhari has never won Nasarawa State. What is going on in your mind right now?

    Jubilation, contentment and a feeling of fulfilment because not everybody will be that lucky that at the twilight of one’s tenure to have all these wonderful things happening for him. The president has won in Nasarawa State, I will advice history because that is for the first time since he embarked on his political journey in 2003 so we have broken that jinx like I have always said.

    Secondly, we delivered the governor to APC and what is even most exciting is that this governor that we have elected is someone that we cherish, someone that we are sure have the capacity and capability to move the state to the next level.

    The third one is that I was lucky to be elected as senator and not only that, that in this dispensation, we have won all the senatorial seats to the APC. We cannot ask for more. I must say this is one of the most exciting moments politically that I have experienced.

    The presidential victory was won but it was such a narrow victory and some people were saying, maybe, the areas that were cancelled probably would have turned the election here or there.

    Victory is victory. By the time you attain victory, the issue of how much you have got or how much you won, to me is immaterial. What is the most fundamental thing is for one to win. Even if it is by one vote because that shows that the preponderance of vote, majority of the votes are won by your candidate and as far as I am concerned in a very daisy environment, very difficult and impossible political environment like Nasarawa, for the president to have won for the first time and with a margin of over 6,000 votes, I think is something impressive.

    Now you are talking about the difficult state of Nasarawa. The eight years that you have been privileged to shepherd the state has not been easy. There was the Mbaitse crisis, which was a militancy problem that really stole the national limelight. Your political foes also wanted to impeach, and then we also had the herdsmen crisis. These three were very very earth shaking to Nasarawa. Take us through how you were able to navigate these difficult times?

    Anytime I think about my political experience in Nasarawa state, 2011 till now, I just get seized by certain feeling of making the impossible possible and I believe that it is not all to ones credit and I think to a large extent by the Grace of God because if you look at the complexity, the peculiarity of Nasarawa state, it is one of the most difficult states.

    Why?

    It is highly heterogeneous state. Few people know that) a heterogeneous state but in history, in political disposition, and even social psychology of the people because by historical antecedents, the majority of people of Nasarawa State come from three different kingdoms. One sector from the Hausa-Fulani kingdom. One sector from the Kanem-Borno and another from the Korola family. So, it is a meeting point of different cultures, different tendencies and religion; with this background you should expect a heterogeneous lenience to different political persuasion and not only that our closeness to the Federal capital has also made Nasarawa state become much more difficult state to handle because the influence of the Federal capital territory with all the tribes, all the tendencies in Nigeria, overrunning Nasarawa state, every nook and cranny that also helps to complicate the social structure, the political structure of the state.

    There has always been a problem in Nigeria politics with the successor and the god father and so on and so forth. How are you guys going to manage the relationship which is very good at the moment?

    I think without making a sweeping statement, I will say that what is usually the cause of conflicts between two friends or two like minds is probably when one crosses the line. As far as I am concerned, have been privileged to be governor for eight years and through divine providence I have been able to support Abdullahi Sule and the people of Nasarawa have been able to support us. As far as I am concerned it starts and ends at that. By that time, I take my bow as the governor of Nasarawa State, he is in charge. I will not want to interfere with his focus, his vision and his commitment to governance. I believe by so doing, he will have an unfiltered attention to ensure that his policies, manifestos and objectives are fulfilled.

    A lot of time, when you find two friends or one who have facilitated the emergence of the another go sour, I think it has to do with interference and I believe as a statesman, I would rather allow him to do his work and we continue as friends.

    But, as a citizen of Nasarawa State and one who has occupied the seat he is occupying, if I see anything that is worthy of comment to him for him to take a look at, I think I will do it in good faith, other than that he is on the saddle, he should be allowed to execute what he believes in to ensure that he achieves his objectives for which he was elected.

  • Insecurity: SERAP seeks disclosure of spending on ‘security votes’

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors to provide information on specific details of spending of appropriated public funds as security votes between 2011 and 2019.

    The request dated April 12 was made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

    In the separate requests to Mr Buhari and the governors, SERAP said: “given the current security realities in the country, we need the information to determine if public funds meant to provide security and ensure respect and protection of the rights to life, physical integrity, and liberty of Nigerians have been spent for this purpose.

    It stated that its request is limited to details of visible, specific security measures and projects executed and does not include spending on intelligence operations.

    SERAP urged President Buhari and the governors to: “disclose including by publishing on a dedicated website, details of spending of public funds appropriated as security votes between 2011 to date, and specific security measures and projects on which such funds have been spent; put in place concrete measures to end the patently unconstitutional, illegal and widespread appropriation of public funds as security votes.

    It also asked them to establish Joint Security Trust Funds with strong legal framework, oversight and auditing mechanisms, as a permanent replacement for the illegal and unconstitutional appropriation of public funds as security votes.

    The organization contended that “Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government emphasizing that it is the security of the citizens that is intended and not the security of select individuals in public office.

    SERAP said: “We are concerned that rather than serving the citizens, the appropriation of public funds as security votes over the years would seem to serve high-ranking government officials at all levels. We are also concerned that the practice of security votes entrusts discretionary powers to spend huge public funds on certain elected public officials who may not have any idea of operational issues on security matters.”

    The requests read in part: “SERAP urges you to open-up on the matter and provide information and documents as requested. This will be one step in the right direction. Unless the information is urgently provided, Nigerians would continue to see the appropriation of public funds as security votes and the institutionalization of this cash in ‘Ghana Must Go bags’ practice as a tool for self-enrichment.”

    “We would be grateful if the requested information is provided to us within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal action under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our request.

    “The most general purpose of State power is to provide security for citizens and other residents and to enable them lead a life that is meaningful to them. However, the growing level of insecurity, violence, kidnappings and killings in Zamfara State and other parts of Nigeria suggest that successive governments have been unwilling or unable to satisfactorily implement this fundamental constitutional commitment.

    “SERAP believes that there is a strong link between corruption and insecurity, violence, kidnappings and killings in several parts of the country. Available evidence would seem to suggest that many of the tiers of government in Nigeria have used security votes as a conduit for grand corruption rather than spending the funds to improve and enhance national security and ensure full protection of Nigerians’ rights to life, physical integrity, and liberty. In fact, former governor of Kano State Musa Kwankwaso once described security votes as ‘another way of stealing public funds’.

    “The huge financial resources budgeted for ‘security votes’ by successive governments, at both federal and state levels, have not matched the security realities, especially given the level of insecurity, violence, kidnappings and killings in many parts of the country.

    It said the current security realities in the country would seem to suggest massive political use, mismanagement or stealing of security votes by many governments.

    “SERAP believes that by providing the information, your government would help put an end to any insinuation that security votes are spent on political activities, mismanaged or stolen. This would in turn contribute to better opportunities for citizens to assess the level of spending and commitment of successive governments to ensuring the security of lives and property of the people.

     “We note that the obligation to provide security and protect people’s rights to life, physical integrity, and liberty ought to be a shared responsibility of the federal and state governments, and not just for the federal government, as state governors also appropriate huge public funds each year as security votes. Many governors reportedly hide the security votes in their budgets as the funds are not expressly stated in their appropriation acts.

    “By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FOI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that details of spending on specific security measures and projects are widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means, including on a dedicated website.

     “As revealed by a 2018 report by Transparency International (TI), most of the funds appropriated as security votes are spent on political activities, mismanaged or simply stolen. It is estimated that security votes add up to over N241.2 billion every year. On top of appropriated security votes, governments also receive millions of dollars yearly as international security assistance.

    “According to TI, security vote spending exceeds 70 percent of the annual budget of the Nigeria Police Force, more than the Nigerian Army’s annual budget, and more than the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force’s annual budget combined”, it stated.

  • Small arms: Buhari seeks cooperation of neighbouring countries

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called for wider cooperation among countries of Sahel and Saharan regions to counter the infiltration of small arms to Nigeria.

    Buhari noted the importance of not allowing the flow of small arms into the hands of militia forces, bandits and insurgents who are becoming a threat to human rights and internal security.

    He made this call in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, where he is attending one-day Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, CEN-SAD, alongside his host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD, Idriss Deby Itno and their counterparts from Niger and Togo, with high-level representations from other member-countries.

    The President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja, stated that Nigeria under President Buhari has worked closely with immediate neighbours in the last few years to stem the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons making their way into Nigeria, but the “very disturbing recent developments” have impelled the administration to seek support from a wider circle of countries if the illegal inflows are to be curtailed.

    He said that the President was also putting on the table for discussions, the problems of irregular migration, trafficking in persons, especially of women and children as part of the security nature of his engagements.

    According to the statement, “It is in view of the significance of this organisation and the role it can play in furthering domestic security that President Buhari ordered the reinvigoration of our nation’s interest, approved the payment of the backlog of unpaid funds and for a speedier work on the processes of the ratification of the treaty binding the members of the organisation.

    “While in N’Djamena, President Buhari is also expected to press for the protection of the well-being of the large population of Nigerians living both legally and illegally in Libya, which is the host country of the CEN-SAD Secretariat.”

  • Chibok Girls, Leah Sharibu can still return, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that all hope is  not yet lost on the possible return of the remaining 112 Chibok girls from Boko Haram captivity.

    Buhari assured the girls’ parents that he has not forgotten them.

    It is exactly five years today that Boko Haram terrorists stormed the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, seized about 276 of them.

    About 60 girls managed to escape in the melee following their abduction while Buhari Administration secured the release of 107.

    About 100 are still with the sect.

    But Buhari speaking on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the abduction yesterday said government was still working on getting the girls and Leah Sharibu back home.

    Leah and about 110 other students of Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe State were abducted on the night of February 19, 2018.

    But while all the other girls were released almost immediately, the terrorists have held on to Leah because she refused to renounce Christianity her faith.

    Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Leah’s return was being hindered by fear on the part of her abductors.

    His words: “President Muhammadu Buhari would like to remind the parents of the school girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State that he has still not forgotten their daughters who were kidnapped from their dormitory five years ago (April 14, 2014).

    “He promised the parents when he met them, at the beginning of his first term as president, that he would bring their daughters home.

    “He is aware that this promise he made is the main reason the people of Chibok voted overwhelmingly for him in the February elections, and although his government has so far succeeded in bringing back 107 of the girls, the President will not rest until the remaining are reunited with their families.

    “President Buhari assures the parents that his administration is still on the matter.

    “Diverse efforts are being intensified to secure the release of the Chibok Girls, along with all hostages in Boko Haram captivity, including Leah Sharibu who was kidnapped from her school, Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018.

    “On Leah Sharibu’s abduction, the interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far.

    “The report reaching us says her return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the militants.

    “They worry that heavy military presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their safety after they return her to the government.

    “At the same time, the military cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting their operations to accommodate Boko Haram’s fears.

    “Leah Sharibu will be reunited with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options being considered for her safe transportation.

    “The success of the Nigerian military in subduing Boko Haram is evidenced by the large numbers of militants who have surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.

    “A similar mass surrender of militants is expected to happen soon in Nigeria.

    “While Nigerian military operations are ongoing, the government is also engaging with the militants but the talks have been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram – with one group adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution.

    “President Buhari also uses this opportunity of the commemoration of the Chibok tragedy to commend the girls, now women, who have triumphed over it all.

    “He sends special greetings to the 106 girls sponsored by the Nigerian government to continue their studies at the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

    “He encourages them to stay focused on becoming women who will inspire girls in Nigeria and around the world to triumph over the daily battles they face in a world that is often unfair to the girl-child.

    “President Buhari also extends his best wishes to Chibok girls in other schools in Nigeria and around the world.

    “He sends special congratulations to Kauna Yaga Bitrus, who has excelled beyond expectations in her college in Maine, USA, and who is soon to receive a special ‘Against All Odds Award’ from her school.”

     

  • Buhari seeks cooperation of neighbouring countries on small arms

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called for wider cooperation among countries of Sahel and Saharan regions to counter the infiltration of small arms to Nigeria.

    Buhari noted the importance of not allowing the flow of small harms into the hands of militia forces, bandits and insurgents who are becoming a threat to human rights and internal security.

    The president spoke in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital for  one-day Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, CEN-SAD, alongside his host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD, Idriss Deby Itno and their counterparts from Niger and Togo, with high-level representations from other member-countries.

    The President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja, stated that Nigeria under him has worked closely with immediate neighbours to stem the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons making their way into Nigeria, but the “very disturbing recent developments” have impelled the administration to seek support from a wider circle of countries if the illegal inflows are to be curtailed.

    He said that the President was also putting on the table for discussions, the problems of irregular migration, trafficking in persons, especially of women and children as part of the security nature of his engagements.

    According to the statement, “It is in view of the significance of this organization and the role it can play in furthering domestic security that President Buhari ordered the reinvigoration of our nation’s interest, approved the payment of the backlog of unpaid funds and for a speedier work on the processes of the ratification of the treaty binding the members of the organization.

    “While in N’Djamena, President Buhari is also expected to press for the protection of the well-being of the large population of Nigerians living both legally and illegally in Libya, which is the host country of the CEN-SAD Secretariat.”

  • CEN-SAD Summit: Buhari returns to Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja from N’Djamena, Chad, where he participated in the one-day Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).

    Those at the Hassan Djamous International Airport N’Djamena airport to bid the President farewell included Chadian government officials, Nigerian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Defence, Mr Jeoffrey  Onyaema, retired Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau and retired Brig.- Gen. Mansur Dan Ali.

    Others were Maj-Gen. Mohammed Monguno (rtd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede; and the Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Umar Farouq. and the Nigerian Charge d’Affaire, Mr Nasiru Waje.

    While in N’Djamena on Saturday, the Chadian capital, President Buhari raised alarm over the influx of small arms into Nigeria, saying such weapons “are flowing into the hands of militia forces, bandits and insurgents who are becoming a threat to human rights and internal security.’’

    He, therefore, stressed the need for wider cooperation among countries of Sahel and Saharan regions to counter the infiltration of these small arms to Nigeria.

    According to him, his administration has worked closely with immediate neighbours in the last few years to stem the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons making their way into Nigeria.

    He, however, noted that the “very disturbing recent developments” had impelled the administration to seek support from a wider circle of countries if the illegal inflows are to be curtailed.

    The President, alongside his host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD, Idriss Deby and their counterparts from Niger and Togo, with high-level representations from other member-countries, deliberated on the problems of irregular migration.

    The leaders also deliberated on the menace of trafficking in persons, especially of women and children among other security issues.(NAN)