This was done on Wednesday 30th May at the start of a two-day visit to Nigeria by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio on the invitation of President Muhammadu Buhari. During the bilateral meeting at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said that he shared many things in common with President Bio, adding that, they are both retired generals, former military heads of state and now democratically elected Presidents.

President Buhari also spoke about the strong bilateral relations between Sierra Leone and Nigeria and promised President Bio that he will continue to strengthen that bilateral ties. On security, President Buhari also spoke about the critical importance of stability in the two countries and also at the regional level. He said that Nigeria will spare no effort to ensure that the two countries continue to be stable.

On his part, His Excellency President Bio said that his visit was not only to strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries but also to express gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for all the assistance and support Sierra Leone has been receiving from Nigeria. President Bio also said that Nigeria and Sierra Leone have a long history and common values.

His Excellency expressed his deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone for the role Nigeria played in bringing to an end the civil war and for the support during the post-conflict reconstruction. After a closed-door meeting with President Buhari, President Bio also addressed the Press where he spoke about the priorities of his new Government which include free education and diversification of the economy among others.

Earlier, His Excellency President Bio was given a warm welcome at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja where he was given a presidential guard of honour and received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama.

State House Media and Communications Unit

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