President Muhammadu Buhari departed the country's capital earlier today for Niger and has arrived N’Djamena. Buhari is to participate in the Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).
Reports have it that the presidential aircraft conveying the President and members of his entourage including some of his personal aides and three state governors landed at the Hassan Djamous International Airport N’Djamena about 9.40 a.m.
Buhari and other regional leaders would join their host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD Conference, President Idriss Deby Itno, to deliberate on political and security issues, among others.
In a statement released by a presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, on Friday, he noted that the leaders would deliberate on the state of peace and ways to address multifaceted threats in CEN-SAD area, especially Boko Haram and refugees.
The leaders would make a declaration on the entry into force of the CEN-SAD revised Treaty intended to fast track the realization of the objectives of the body.
“During the Opening Session of the Conference, special Awards will be given to heads of state and military contingents in Mali, Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic and in the Lake Chad Basin,’’ Shehu further explained.
Recall that the CEN-SAD was created on Feb. 4, 1998, with six founding members. Nigeria joined the current 29-member regional economic community in 2001.
