181 DAYS Buhari Visits 10 Countries

 

President Muhammadu Buhari took over from Goodluck Jonathan on May 29 and since then, he has made a number of trips outside the country.
In his 181 days in office, Buhari has traveled to 10 countries and would still visit more before the year ends.
President Buhari has embarked on more foreign trips than he has done within the country, despite the myriad of challenges facing the country, from fuel scarcity to insurgency in the North East.
His frequent travels abroad has come under criticism as some are of the opinion that he is engaging in wasteful international pleasure trips which is consuming a significant amount of the country’s cash.
Below is a list of countries the president has visited since he assumed office.
1. Niger:
On June 3, the president embarked on his first official trip. He left for Niger Republic to hold talks with President Mahamadou Issoufou on security and how to curb the activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram in the region.


2. Chad:
On June 4, Buhari headed for Chad to hold talks with his Chadian counterpart, Idris Deby, as Nigeria and neighbouring countries find lasting solutions to the lingering Boko Haram insurgency. Bothe presidents vowed to enhance cooperation in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

3. Germany:
Two days after his trip from Niger and Chad, the president left Abuja for Germany to attend the G-7 meeting, accompanied by a 20-person delegation including former Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Dambazau (ret.), his personal photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo, and his cook named ‘Anne’.

4. South Africa:
On June 15, President Buhari traveled to South Africa to attend the African Union (AU) summit in which he was the chairperson of the Peace & Security Council meeting. He commissioned the Nigeria Immigration center in the country and also met with some Nigerians living in the country.

5. United States of America:
On July 19, President Buhari left Abuja for the USA with a 33-man delegation. The White House was said to have invited Buhari via a statement on June 27, saying that Barack Obama is looking forward to his visit, during which both leaders will be discussing the threat of Boko Haram and how to tackle insurgency.
He also visited the US again in September for the UN General Assembly. The president left Katsina state with a 22-man delegation after celebrating the Eid in his home town in Daura.

6. Benin Republic:
On August 1, President Buhari paid a one-day visit to Benin Republic in continuation of the effort to curb Boko Haram insurgency. He was conferred with a traditional title ‘Manahouwhe’ Gbede’, which means “I will never forget you”.He was also conferred with the national honour of Grand Croix du Benin (Grand Cross of Benin), which is the highest award in that country.

7. Ghana:
On September 7, Buhari arrived Ghana where he was received by the Ghanaian President, John Mahama. During a press conference with President Mahama, Buhari vowed to appoint his cabinet before the end of September.
8. France:

Buhari left Abuja for Paris on September 14, on a three-day official visit following an invitation from his French counterpart Francois Hollande. They both had a closed door meeting where they decided on military cooperation. Buhari also met with top management of biggest multinational companies to discuss their future investments in Nigeria.
9. India:
On October 27, President Buhari left Abuja for New Delhi, India, to take part in the 3rd Summit of the India-Africa Forum. While in the country, Buhari joined other African leaders at summit. He also met with Nigerians living in India and had discussions with Indian businessmen.
10. Iran:
The president arrived at the Mehrabad International Airport on Sunday, November 22 and was received by the Iranian deputy president, Shariat Madri. He was in Tehran, Iran, to participate in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit.
The president still has other trips to make before the year ends. He will be leaving for Malta today to participate in the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Below are some reactions of Nigerians to Buhari’s frequent foreign trips.