The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was on Tuesday conferred with the Niger Republic’s highest national honour, Grand Croix Des Ordre National Du Niger.
He was conferred with the honour by the country’s outgoing President, Mahamadou Issoufou.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement titled “President Buhari receives highest Niger Republic award, congratulates outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou on Mo Ibrahim prize.”
Adesina quoted the President as congratulating Issoufou for successful completion of his second tenure, and winning the prestigious 2020 Mo Ibrahim prize for Achievement in African Leadership, describing him as a worthy African leader.
He said Buhari felicitated with the outgoing leader for upholding the tenets of democracy, improving the economy of his country and consolidating the good relations that existed between both countries.
The President was quoted as saying that “Mr. President, let me start by congratulating you on the successful completion of your second term as President of our sister country, the Republic of Niger.
“I also congratulate the good people of Niger for the successful conduct of a free, fair and credible election.
“The achievements during your tenure as President have been widely acclaimed including through your recent award of the Mo Ibrahim Prize.
“You have earned the respect and affection of your people at home and your brethren across the border in Nigeria.”
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Buhari said his first visit after swearing-in in 2015 was to Niger Republic, noting that the choice of a neighbouring country underscored the value and quality of relations between both countries.
“Nigeria-Niger relations are based on a long common border and shared cultural and historical roots. Relations between the two countries have, over the years, been very cordial and fraternal. There is a spirit of good neighbourliness between us.
The military cooperation that has availed the Nigerian Intelligence community information on the activities of terrorists is additional evidence of this solidarity. It was against this backdrop that Niger agreed to become part of the multinational effort to tackle insurgents’ activities across the borders of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad Republics.
“As you know, this culminated in the establishment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, with Sector 4 based in Diffa, Republic of Niger,’’ he said.
Buhari also said some of Nigeria’s prestigious military institutions like Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and National War College, Abuja, and the Police Academy in Gwoza and Kano have provided training for the security officers of the neigbouring country.
In his remarks, President Issoufou thanked President Buhari and all Nigerians for the support he received as leader of his country for ten years, particularly during his time as Chairman of ECOWAS, describing Nigeria as a “second home’’.
The Nigerien President said the highest national award of his country was bestowed on President Buhari because of his “fraternity, vigour, patriotism and determination to move Africa forward, starting from the West Coast.’’
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the Nigerien President distinguished himself in leadership at both national and regional levels, leaving a legacy of avoiding the trap of altering the constitution to prolong his stay in office.
Onyeama said the Mo Ibrahim award was most deserved.
