Boko Haram prompts Buhari’s first foreign trip

President Muhammadu Buhari will embark on his first trip abroad as president on Wednesday.

According to Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, who disclosed this to journalists at the defence‎ house in Abuja on Monday, Buhari’s trip to neighbouring countries, Chad and Niger, was primed for exploring ways of bringing an end to acts of insurgency in the northeast by Boko Haram.

“The president has Niger and Chad ahead of him. This will be his first trip outside the country on obvious matters of security,” he said.

Shehu added that the trip is expected to be for one day.

Regarding Buhari taking residence outside the presidential villa, he explained that renovation works were still ongoing at the villa, hence the delay in the president’s movement to Aso Rock.

“The contractors are working probably at their own pace. If I need to know or if you need to know this, probably we have to talk to someone,” he said.

“I am not saying he’s comfortable where he is at his rented house, but he is operating from there at the moment. When the villa is ready, he will move in.”

On when to expect the president to release the names of his cabinet members, Shehu said: “I have no idea , but it is not something anybody will rush because you know that the national assembly has to approve.”

Meanwhile, Buhari‎ met with Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, in a closed-door meeting for about three hours. Details of the meeting were not given, but it is believed to have centred on the security challenges of the nation.