Addressing Security Challenges Requires Joint Efforts – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that addressing Nigeria’s security challenges requires the joint efforts of all Nigerians.

Buhari said this at the opening of a four-day special summit on national security organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja on Wednesday.

The President commended the House for creating the forum to allow stakeholders to brainstorm on issues affecting the country and the way forward.

Buhari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha, said security had become a major concern at global, regional and national levels.

The president said: “Nigeria shares land borders with Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger; and maritime boundaries with Equatorial Guanine, Ghana, Sao Tome and Principe.

“The challenges these borders pose to our national security and interest are enormous; the instability and conflict in the Chad basin alone deserves close attention.

“Our nation has to grabble with various forms of internal security issues over the past decade in all geo-political zones.

''Addressing them effectively to restore peace and security remains the responsibility of all Nigerians in and out of the public office and our democratic institutions.''

Buhari said the summit was timely, as the country was mourning the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and other gallant officers who died in plane crash.

He said that it was their death was a painful loss to the nation, the military and the efforts towards combating security challenges in the country.