On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari emphasized the importance of international cooperation in addressing security issues both abroad and within Nigeria. To combat terrorism, banditry, and insurgency, he has called for increased cooperation.
At the State House, Buhari made the claims as he accepted the letters of credence from the ambassadors of Mexico and Canada, Juan Alfred Miranda Oritz and James Kingston Christoff, respectively.
The President informed the ambassadors that by working together across borders, insecurity had been successfully reduced and that more could be done.
In His Word
“The devastating effect of global insecurity, climate change and the post-COVID-19 era has devastated global economies. Nations continue to struggle to recover from these multiple global challenges.
“Nigeria is not left out of the equation, as we are fighting to rid our country of banditry, kidnapping, herder/farmer crisis and insurgency. We are, however, making meaningful progress with the support of friendly countries like yours to sustain these fights until we overcome these challenges’’ he said.
At the regional level, President Buhari claimed that Nigeria had been collaborating with other ECOWAS members and other regional groups to combat issues like terrorism, transnational crime, maritime crimes like piracy and illegal fishing, illicit drug and human trafficking, banditry, and illegitimate political coups.
Prior to the elections in 2023, the President asked diplomats to keep an eye on political developments in the nation while upholding their commitment to the non-interference rule of their profession.
President Buhari stated that as Nigeria’s national elections drew nearer, candidates representing their parties at various levels started to forge agreement within those organizations in anticipation of the impending launch of campaigns throughout the nation.
The President additionally counseled the diplomats to concentrate on building on the achievements of their forerunners.
Their Response
In his remarks, the Canadian High Commissioner thanked the President on behalf of the ambassadors for conducting the event to accept the Letters of Credence.
“Today marks the formal beginning of our engagement with the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will work closely with ministers and officials to start a progressive relationship’’ Christoff said.