President Muhammadu Buhari has on Monday, April 19 received the newly sworn-in President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum, in the State House Abuja.
The visiting Nigerien leader, who is on two-day official visit to Nigeria, was received by President Buhari at the forecourt of the Villa at about 1.22p.m.
President Bazoum was accompanied to the State House by Governors of some northern states, which share boundaries with the neighbouring country.
The Governors are Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi); Babagana Zulum (Borno); Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara).
Also in attendance are; Minister of Defense, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd); Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; National Security Adviser, NSA Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd); Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
Bazoum was inaugurated as President of Niger Republic on April 2, 2021, after winning the elections held on December 27, 2020 and took over from his predecessor, Mahamadou Issoufou.
According to TheSun, the Nigerien President, is on a thank you visit to Nigeria.His inauguration marked the first successful transfer of power from outgoing president to an elected Nigerien leader since the country’s independence in 1960.
The two West African leaders went into closed doors bilateral talks immediately after the brief welcoming ceremony.
NAN reports that Bazoum, 61, would also be hosted to a private breaking of Ramadan fast by President Buhari at about 6.50p.m
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President Buhari earlier received briefing from Vice-President Osinbajo before the arrival of the Nigerien President.
It would be recalled that he returned to Abuja on Thursday after a 16-day medical check-up in the United Kingdom.
