President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said his administration has been making efforts to tackle banditry, terrorism and other criminal activities that have continued to threaten the peace of the country.
He spoke when he received the letters of credence from the new Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador James Kingston Christoff and Ambassador of Mexico to Nigeria, Juan Alfred Miranda Oritz, at the State House in Abuja.
Buhari called for more international collaboration to tackle insecurity, reiterating that under his governmemt Nigeria has made meaningful progress in tackling insecurity with the support of friendly countries including Canada and Mexico.
He said, “The political instability in Libya continues to fuel terrorism in the Sahel, West and Central African regions.
“Nigeria is not left out of the equation as we are fighting to rid our country of banditry, kidnapping, herder/farmer clashes and insurgency. We are however making meaningful progress with the support of friendly countries like yours to sustain this fight until we overcome these challenges.”
During the meeting, Buhari lamented the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which he said has undermined efforts in boosting global food security.
He equally lamented that global insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic affected major economies.
Buhari, meanwhile, urged the new ambassadors to build on the achievements of their predecessors, insisting that Nigeria further counts on their support particularly in addressing issues of marine-related crime, among others.
Speaking on the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Buhari asked the diplomats to monitor political activities in the country make sure they remain apolitical.
“I urge you to also build friendships and acquaintances in the course of your stay in our country. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the devastating effect of global insecurity, climate change and the post-coronavirus era have devastated global economies.
“Nations continue to struggle to recover from these multiple global challenges. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has undermined the progress countries have achieved in tackling food security in the last decade,” he added.