President Mohammed Bazoum of Niger Republic on Thursday paid a one-day visit to Nigeria where he met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Bazoum later journalists after the meeting that Niger Republic is seeking Nigeria’s financial support in the establishment of another military outfit similar to the ongoing Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) which would be tasked with combating the menace of terrorism along its borders in Northwest Nigeria.
Bazoum, who noted that the MNJTF was created for the Northeast region, said that countries within the Sahel region would be delighted if Nigeria would support a replication of the outfit against terrorists and bandits in the Northwest part of Northern Nigeria.
He noted that Nigeria would be critical to the establishment of a Northwest security outfit, especially as it currently bears larger responsibility for the operations and funding support for the MNJTF operating from the Lake Chad Basin.
Noting that terrorism and banditry had become a common problem for the people within the Sahel region, the Niger Republic President stated that President Buhari agreeing to the establishment of the multinational security outfit in the Northwest would reduce the economic and financial burden of supporting such operations on other Sahel countries.
According to him, “the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is a model initiated by countries that are facing the same kind of security challenges and we want to replicate this kind of model in countries of Sahel; Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and so on. Why? Because, this model has allowed us in the Lake Chad Basin to address a common threat. We are very much satisfied with the situation because it has allowed us to contain and we want to replicate same in other places.
“Evidently, if Nigeria accepts to do the same in the axis-Northwest, to fight banditry, we would gladly accept because, as you know, Nigeria almost entirely funded the MNJTF operations and if Nigeria decides to do the same in the northwest axis, we will be very happy. That means, it will reduce the economic and financial burden of the fight against these insurgents.”
Speaking about other issues discussed during the meeting, Bazoum mentioned issues around economics and infrastructure, particularly the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project.
“I’m happy to be here and have discussions with President Buhari on issues that relate to the economy and the security situation in our countries in a manner that we push these issues to be of mutual benefit to both countries; Niger and Nigeria.
“My visit coincides with the very big operation that is taking place jointly today in the Lake Chad Basin region against the terrorist and this big operation is being conducted by MNJTF – the Multinational Joint Task Force and as you will know very well the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force is funded almost entirely by Nigeria and this operation is meant to help in providing security from the challenges that both of our countries are facing.
“I want to reiterate my recommendation and thanks to President Buhari, who because of his support this operation is going on and will be very much continue in future
“On economic issues, we discussed the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project and this project is an infrastructure that will integrate the economies, the economies of Nigeria and Niger. And so I’m here to thank President Buhari, for his effort at ensuring that this project has taken off and I hope that it will be sustained because this project will radically change the trading exchange between the two countries.
“We also spoke about the gas pipeline in the sense that gas and oil now have become an issue in world politics, in the world economy”, he said.
