President Muhammadu Buhari says recurring attempts by terrorist groups have underscored the need to build an enduring security partnership to confront and defeat the evil of cross-border terrorism.
President Buhari, who said this Saturday in Abuja at the 56th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority Heads of State and Government, stressed that terrorism remained the major threat to the peace and progress of the region.
The president said that he was shocked and pained to receive the news of the tragedy last week in the Tilabari Region of Niger Republic, where over 33 soldiers and other citizens of the country were brutally massacred in yet another cowardly terrorist attack by the enemies of peace and progress.
Buhari expressed sympathies with the families of those he described as “heros” and the entire people of Niger Republic.
He said that it was always gratifying when regional Bloc came together in the determination to advance agenda for regional integration and promote the socio-economic development of the subregion.
“Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, let me now restate Nigeria’s commitment to regional integration and stress the need to always channel our energies towards realising new strategies and initiatives, which will accelerate the attainment of our regional aspirations for sustainable peace, security, stability and inclusive economic growth.
“To achieve these, we must put our people at the heart of our policies,” Buhari also said.
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