Buhari hosts French president, Hollande, Biya, Others at Abuja security summit

– President Mohammadu Buhari would on Saturday host the French President, Francois Hollande and president Pual Biya of Cameroon to a Regional Security Summit in Abuja. Others also scheduled to arrive Abuja on Friday for the summit included the Presidents of Cameroon, Niger Republic, Chad and Benin Republic. Similarly, representatives of the United States, Britain, Equatorial Guinea, the European Union, ECOWAS, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission are expected at the summit.

The security summit will lead essentially to the successful conclusion of ongoing military operations against Boko Haram in the north east of nigeria and the lake Chad basin. Recall that president Hollande of France hosted the first Regional Security Summit in Paris on May 17, 2014 giving rise for the second session in Nigeria. A statement by the presidential media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina on Tuesday said that “The speedy resolution of the humanitarian crises caused by the barbaric atrocities of the terrorist group will also feature prominently on the summit’s agenda.” The statement however added that “Before proceeding to the summit, President Buhari will receive President Hollande and the French delegation at the Presidential Villa on Saturday morning”, adding that “It is expected that new agreements on further defence and cultural cooperation between Nigeria and France will be concluded and signed after talks between the two Presidents and their officials.”