Buhari jets out of Nigeria a day after inauguration

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari will leave the country on Thursday to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

The president will be departing the country 24 hours after he was sworn for the second term in office to attend the 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on Friday, May 31.

“According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future,” seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world,” Buhari’s spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement on Wednesday.

“President Buhari is expected to address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism,” he added.

Buhari will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The summit is expected to be attended by heads of state and governments of member state.

“The President will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development,” Shehu said.

“On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern,” he added.

Buhari will also be accompanied to the Summit by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State.

Other delegates are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar.

Buhari is expected to return to the country on June 2nd.