…Warns against foreign interference in 2023
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, told newly accredited foreign ambassadors that Nigeria has made progress in tackling insecurity with the help of some friendly countries.
Receiving Letters of Credence of the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. James Kingston Christoff, and Ambassador of Mexico to Nigeria, Juan Alfred Miranda Oritz, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari also commended collective the efforts of nations towards tackling security challenges across the globe, and within Nigeria, urging more collaboration to check terrorism, banditry and insurgency.
He said that even though successes in taming insecurity had been recorded through collaboration across borders, more could be achieved.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, quoted him as saying: “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.
“The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has undermined the progress countries have achieved in tackling food security in the last decade. While, the political instability in Libya continues to fuel terrorism in the Sahel, as well as scuttle democratic sustenance in both West and Central African regions.
“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 said Nigeria had been working with other member-States of ECOWAS and other regional blocs, to deal with the problems of terrorism, trans-border crimes, maritime crimes such as piracy and illegal fishing on our waters, illicit drug and human trafficking, banditry, as well as unconstitutional changes of government.
The President also urged diplomats to monitor political developments in the country, leading to the 2023 elections, but remain true to their professional ethics of non-interference.
Buhari noted that Nigeria was drawing closer to its national elections and candidates representing their parties at different levels were beginning to build consensus within their respective parties in preparations for the launching of campaigns across the country soon.
The President also advised the diplomats to focus on building on the successes of their predecessors.
He said the cultural diversity of Nigeria “represents our pride as a nation and identity as a people”, while urging the diplomats to also build friendships and acquaintances in the course of their stay in the country.
In his remarks, on behalf of the ambassadors, the Canadian High Commissioner thanked the President for the ceremony of accepting the Letters of Credence.
