President Buhari Returns To Nigeria After Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit In Istanbul

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja, Nigeria, after attending the three-day Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that Buhari touched down at the presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday at about 2:35 pm.

The president, who arrived in the company of his wife, Aisha, was received by his chief of staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and the minister of the federal capital territory, Mohammed Bello.

The purpose of Buhari’s trip to Turkey, December 16 to 19 was to participate in the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, with an appealing theme: “Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.”

While in Turkey, the President said that as part of sustained efforts at keeping Nigerians safer, Nigeria will partner with the Republic of Turkey in dealing with the current security challenges facing the nation.

This was on Friday at a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Erdogan, shortly before the official kickoff of the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.

He said Turkey has practical experience dealing with challenges over the years and Nigeria stands to gain from that.

On Saturday, the President called on the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to provide concrete support to defeat terrorism and insurgency in Africa.

While speaking at the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, Buhari said the Boko Haram terrorist group, though fragmented by internal strife and degraded by Nigeria’s defence forces, is still active and preying on soft targets.

He expressed delight that the Summit convened by President Recep Erdogan of Turkey has given due consideration to the issue of terrorism, while also focusing on development and infrastructure in Africa.

Meanwhile, Nigerians living in Italy have cried out to President Buhari that they are losing their jobs over their inability to renew their international passports.