President Muhammadu Buhari hosted President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic on Monday and told him that the security and well-being of Nigerians were of utmost concern to him.

Mr Buhari’s media aide Femi Adesina, in a statement issued in Abuja, disclosed this.

“At all times, security and well-being of Nigerians is my first concern, my priority,” the statement quoted Mr Buhari to have said.

“That is why we are hosting a summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in Abuja to discuss the situation in Chad and the implications for neighbouring countries.

“The recharge of Lake Chad with water from Congo Basin is another issue as it holds great implications for security since about 30 million people are affected,” Mr Buhari added.

Earlier, Mr Touadera commiserated with the Nigerian president over the military plane crash last weekend, killing Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff, and 10 others.

He said the Central African Republic was on the verge of rebuilding its army and would need Nigeria’s help and Nigerian business people to come into the country to invest in diverse areas.

“We want closer ties with Nigeria, and that is one of the reasons I am here,” Mr Touadera said.

(NAN)