President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday hosted his Nigerien counterpart, Mohamed Bazoum, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visiting Nigerien leader, who is on a two-day official visit to Nigeria, was received by President Buhari at the forecourt of the villa at about 1.22 p.m.
Among those who joined the president to welcome Mr Bazoum are the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammed Bello and some presidential aides.
The governors of Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Kebbi and Zamfara states were also at the villa to welcome Bazoum, who was sworn in for the first five-year term as President of Niger Republic on April 2.
Mr Bazoum’s inauguration marked the first successful transfer of power from the outgoing president to an elected Nigerien leader since the country’s independence in 1960.
NAN reports that the two West African leaders went into closed doors bilateral talks immediately after the brief welcoming ceremony.
NAN gathered that Mr Bazoum, 61, would also be hosted to a private breaking of fast by President Buhari at about 6.50 p.m.