Buhari off to Chad four days after Dubai trip

Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Saturday (today) leave the country for N’Djamena, capital of Chad Republic barely four days after returning from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he attended an investment meeting.

He had attended World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa held in Amman, Jordan, days before heading to Dubai.

Mr Buhari will now be in Chad for the Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, CEN-SAD.

A statement by the Presidency on Friday said the community was created by the Treaty of Tripoli on February 4, 1998 with six founding members.

It added that Nigeria joined the group in 2001, which now had 29 members.

Its objectives include seeking to create a free trade area in Africa, “strengthening peace, security and stability, and achieving global economic and social development of its members.”

Buhari will be accompanied to the meeting by Governors Kashim Shettima, Akinwunmi Ambode and Adegboyega Oyetola of Borno, Lagos and Osun states respectively.

Others include Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Interior, Adulrahman Danbazau; Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali; National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno among others.

“The President will return to the country at the end of the conference on Saturday,” the statement said.