President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday said only God can effectively supervise Nigeria’s border with the Republic of Niger.
The President stated this in Abuja while receiving former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who heads ECOWAS Election Mission to the West African country.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina.
According to the statement, Buhari applauded the outgoing Nigerien President, Mahamadou Issoufou, for not attempting to tamper with the country’s constitution of his country, and elongate his stay in power, after serving for the maximum two terms.
“I come from Daura, few kilometers to the Republic of Niger, so I should know a bit about that country. The President is quite decent, and we are regularly in touch. He is sticking to the maximum term prescribed by the Constitution of his country,” Buhari said.
“Also, we share more than 1,400 kilometers of border with that country, which can only be effectively supervised by God. I will speak with the President and offer his country our support. We need to do all we can to help stabilize the Sahel region, which is also in our own interest.”
On his part, ex-Vice President Sambo congratulated President Buhari on the successful return of abducted schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, and also his 78th birthday, last week.
He pledged that ECOWAS would ensure peaceful and fair elections in the Republic of Niger, despite current political, legal and security issues, adding that meetings were already being held with the relevant stakeholders.