President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with the President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi in Abuja to discuss the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
At the meeting, President Yayi pledged to deploy 800 military men to help fight insurgency in Nigeria’s north-east.
Acknowledging President Yayi’s contribution to the war on terror, President Buhari said securing a healthy relationship with neighbouring countries was key to security and economic development.
President Buhari reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining the existing bilateral relationship with Benin Republic and other countries within West Africa.
He said: “Such partnerships are essential for good neighbourliness and development”.
The Nigerian leader further expressed Nigeria’s readiness to host an Economic Community for West African States’ summit in about nine days where vital issues bothering on security and the economy would be discussed.
Benin Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic had set up a Multi-National Joint Task Force to strengthen inter-border security and reduce the free movement of terrorists within the nations’ borders.
After he was sworn in as President of Nigeria in May, Buhari visited some neighbouring countries to seek closer ties that would further reduce the trans-border movement of Boko Haram terrorists.