By Olawale Afolabi
President Muhammadu Buhari at bilateral talks with Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheal Martin, said with the renewed efforts of the Nigerian military, insecurity in Nigeria would soon be a thing of the past.
The President’s media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement on Saturday, quoted the Nigerian leader as saying:
“In the past few months, with new platforms and boosted morale among the security forces, Nigeria is moving steadily in the direction of overcoming its insecurity. We will continue to partner with nations across the globe especially in the use of technology so that Nigeria can learn something useful.”
President Buhari told the Prime Minister that with the experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is better for the world to work together rather than independently for enhanced progress for humanity, hoping that the lessons that came with the pandemic will impact on other areas so that Nigerians and indeed the world can have sustainable peace.
He assured his guest that Nigeria will continue to do its best to sustain the relationship with Ireland if not improve on it, especially on the level of education, knowing that many Nigerians are doing well in Ireland, schooling and working there.
Mr Micheal Martin had told the Nigerian leader that Ireland was looking for ways to increase the level of relations with the country, even as Nigeria remains Ireland’s largest trading partner in Africa. He expressed hope that his country would move into other areas like the deployment of technology, to help Nigeria overcome its challenges in health and security.
He added that Europe and the world now need to look elsewhere for sources of energy as the war in Ukraine has highlighted.
In a separate meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Buhari urged for a closer partnership with Nigeria in education, health, security as well as non-oil and gas sectors.
Stressing the importance of education and knowledge, President Buhari said the time has come to begin to look at practical ways of tackling health challenges that come without notice.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the President that “Greece possessed the technological know-how in security, surveillance, as well as intelligence gathering and utilisation and was in a position to assist Nigeria” noting that, “though technology is not cheap, it is the best way to go as there is no alternative to peace.”
He added that he will put together a business delegation with experts in health, education as well as oil and gas to visit and interface with the private sector in Nigeria to look at parameters under which they can come in.
The Prime Minister extended an invitation to President Buhari to visit Greece before the end of his tenure.