President Muhammadu Buhari has said that given the vastness of the Nigeria-Niger Republic border, it can only be effectively manned by God.
Speaking while receiving in audience former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who heads ECOWAS Election Mission to the Republic of Niger, Mr Buhari, however, promised to do everything possible to stabilise the Sahel region.
According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), the president applauded his Nigerien counterpart, President Mahamadou Issoufou, “for not attempting to tamper with the Constitution of his country, and elongate his stay in power, after serving for the maximum two terms.”
The statement quoted him as saying: “I come from Daura, few kilometres to the Republic of Niger, so I should know a bit about that country. The president there is quite decent, and we are regularly in touch. He is sticking to the maximum term prescribed by the Constitution of his country.
“Also, we share more than 1,400 kilometres of border with that country, which can only be effectively supervised by God. I will speak with the President and offer his country our support. We need to do all we can to help stabilize the Sahel region, which is also in our own interest.”
Former Vice President Sambo congratulated President Buhari on the successful return of abducted schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, and also his 78th birthday, last week.
He pledged that ECOWAS would ensure peaceful and fair elections in the Republic of Niger, despite current political, legal and security issues, adding that meetings were already being held with the relevant stakeholders.
