Chidi Samuel || President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said that regional cooperation is now needed more than ever to tackle the global threat of violent extremism.
The President made the observation at a bilateral meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, on the sidelines of the counter-terrorism summit hosted by the Jordanian leader in the coastal city of Aqaba.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said President Buhari stressed that inter-regional cooperation and information sharing were the only ways the evil of terrorism could be curtailed.
The President also used the opportunity of the meeting to thank the Jordanian King for his constant support and assistance to Nigeria.
One of such assistance, according to him, was the recent donation of armoured vehicles and other military equipment to further bolster the war against terrorism and insurgency in the country.
In his remarks, King Abdullah II recommended broader measures, especially the use of cybersecurity to check the influence of terrorists.
He also pledged the continued support of the Kingdom of Jordan to Nigeria in its war against violent extremism.
The counter-terrorism summit, tagged ‘Aqaba Retreat’, is being attended by West African leaders, representatives of governments of 48 countries and a number of key non-governmental organisations.
The foreign affairs ministers of Nigeria and Jordan, as well as the African country’s National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno, were present at President Buhari’s meeting with the Jordanian King.
The meeting comes more than two months after both leaders in Washington D.C., where the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly took place.
President Buhari had thanked the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for its support to Nigeria’s campaign against terrorism and insurgency.
He had said the very expensive donation of about 200 Armoured Fighting Vehicles “reflects true concern for Nigeria’s security situation and genuine goodwill towards a friendly nation.”