BUHARI, ORTOM AND FIVE OTHER GOVERNORS IN CAMEROON TO DISCUSS BOKO HARAM

Adesina described the trip as part of the presi­dent’s ongoing effort to build a more effective re­gional coalition against

Boko Haram. President Muhamma­du Buhari will today jet out to Cameroon to fine-tune plans with his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya on how best to tackle the Boko Haram in­surgency.

President Buhari will for the first time be accom­panied outside the country with six governors drawn from across party lines.

Special Adviser on Me­dia and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina listed the governors as Al­haji Mohammed Bindow (Adamawa), Mr. Emmanu­el Udom (Akwa Ibom), Mr. Samuel Ortom (Benue), Alhaji Kashim Shettima (Borno), Mr. Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Mr. Dar­ius Ishaku (Taraba).

Also on the president’s entourage are the Per­manent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.

The Nigerian delegation will also discuss further joint measures to curb ter­rorism, violent extremism and other cross-border crimes with President Biya and Cameroonian government officials.

“The talks between President Buhari and his Cameroonian counter­part are expected to focus on the full activation and deployment of the Multi­national Joint Task Force against Boko Haram, which has been estab­lished under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

“President Buhari will also use the opportunity of his visit to Yaoundé to meet with Nigerians liv­ing in Cameroun,” he said.

The President, who is due back in Abuja tomor­row, will also undertake a one-day trip to Benin Republic on Saturday for talks with President Boni Yayi to round-off the dip­lomatic shuttles to neigh­bouring countries.

Adesina recalled that the president had em­barked on the sub-region­al trip upon assumption of office to strengthen regional cooperation against terrorism and make it harder for Boko Haram to operate across national boundaries.