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President Muhammadu Buhari has left Abuja to attend the 47th National Day ceremony of the Republic of Guinea Bissau in the country’s capital, Bissau.
President Buhari will be joined by Heads of State and Government of Senegal, Cote d’ Ivoire, Rwanda, Mauritania, Togo and Liberia to mark the independence anniversary.
The Presidency disclosed this in a series of tweets on Thursday.
According to the Presidency, President Buhari will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd), National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
“In Bissau, President @MBuhari will also commission a road named in his honour by the government of Guinea Bissau,” the statement added.
“He will in addition join other invited Heads of State to attend an official lunch hosted by President Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
“Nigeria and Guinea Bissau established diplomatic relations in 1974. Following a military coup in that country, Nigeria in 2012 deployed troops under the auspices of ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB), to maintain peace.
“President Buhari had in response to a request for assistance by the Government of Guinea Bissau, during its last legislative elections, donated $500,000 dollars, 17 vehicles and 350 electoral kits to support the country’s electoral process.
“In May this year, President Buhari received President Embalo in Abuja, during which the Nigerian leader congratulated his counterpart on his confirmation as President, assuring him of Nigeria’s support to the new government in Guinea Bissau.
“The Nigerian troops were only withdrawn on September 10, 2020 after the return of stability to Guinea Bissau.”
The President will, however return to Abuja at the end of the ceremonies on Thursday.
