Why stability of Libya matters to us, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says a stable or unstable Libya has implications for countries in the Lake Chad Basin area, including Nigeria.

Mr Femi Adesina, the president’s spokesman in a statement, said Buhari stated this when he hosted Mohammed Younis Menfi, Chairman, Presidential Council of Libya, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The president said: “Republics of Chad, and Niger, have extensive borders with Libya, and they are our immediate neighbours.

“Whatever affects them affects us. The stability or instability of Libya will directly affect us.”

He stressed that security of Nigeria was number one priority to him, noting that “unless a country or institution is secured, there’s no way you can efficiently manage it.”

Buhari said he was happy that the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya could personally attend the Summit of Lake Chad Basin Commission held in Abuja on Tuesday, to discuss the situation in Chad, and the implications for security in neighbouring countries.

Al-Menfi said Libya was fast evolving, and “we now have one government, active on the ground.

“We are expelling the mercenaries, and unifying the instructions.”

He said democratic elections would be held in due course, adding that the historical relationship between his country and Nigeria in the areas of oil and agriculture meant that one country could not ignore the other.

“We aspire for joint cooperation, and reactivation of previous agreements,” Menfi said.