Boko Haram: President Buhari leaves for Cameroon on official visit

The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will continue his ongoing effort to build a more effective regional coalition against Boko Haram with a visit to Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital on Wednesday to hold talks with President Paul Biya and other senior Government officials.

The visit would center on the full activation and deployment of the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram, which has been established under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, according to VON.

The President will also discuss further joint measures to curb terrorism, violent extremism and other cross-border crimes with President Biya and Cameroonian government officials.

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said the visit would afford the President the opportunity to meet with Nigerians living in Cameroon.

The President, who is expected to be back in Abuja on Thursday, will also undertake a one-day trip to Benin Republic on Saturday for talks with President Boni Yayi to round-off the diplomatic shuttles to neighbouring countries, which he embarked upon on assumption of office to strengthen regional cooperation against terrorism and make it much harder for Boko Haram to operate across borders.

President Buhari would be accompanied on the two-day trip by six State Governors as well as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency.

The State Governors on the President’s entourage are Alhaji Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa State, Mr. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Professor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Mr. Darius Ishaku of Taraba State.

Posted by Janice Johnson