Boko Haram: Turkey pledges support to Nigeria as Turkish President Recep Tyyip Erdogan visits President Buhari

Turkish President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday assured Nigeria of its support in the fight against terrorist, Boko Haram.
He gave the assurance at a joint press conference after holding bilateral talks with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Stressing that his country and Nigeria suffer the same constant threats of terrorists’ attacks, Erdogan said that it is better for the two countries to collaborate to defeat the menace.
The Turkish President, who spoke through an interpreter, noted that more Muslims have died in the terrorists’ attacks in Turkey and Nigeria and that people should not try to associate terrorism with any tribe or group as it would only serve to “assist the terrorists”.
He harped on the need for collaborative efforts in the anti-terror war as he condoled with Nigerians on the death of thousands of citizens resulting from Boko Haram attacks.
According to him, he would not allow any group in Turkey with peculiar interests dictate the pace or direction of his government’s efforts ‎to tackle terrorism.
Arriving Nigeria with 150 Turkish businessmen, he ‎said that Nigerian and Turkish entrepreneurs should mutually invest across the two countries which have a combined population of 260 million and the volume of trade between the two countries standing at $1.1billion.
He said: “Our total trade volume is currently at $1,145billion our export is $314million and our import is $831million. As you see the result is to the favour of Nigeria.
“I believe that if the two countries combine forces making use of our own respective resources we would be able to come up with even better outcomes.
“I want to call on Nigerian business people to also make investment in Turkey. We are ready to expand all the sectors that we can to them, particularly Turkish construction contracting companies which rank second in the world.
“We are ready to share our experiences particularly in the area of irrigation and agriculture.‎” he said
President Buhari thanked Turkey for training the Nigerian police and giving Nigeria quality equipment.
He said that his government and Nigeria would not be demoralized by the activities of Boko Haram.
Buhari also commiserated with Turkey on the deaths and carnage perpetrated by terrorists in that country, stressing that if far developed countries could be struck by terrorists, it showed how vulnerable less developed countries are.
According to him, delegations of both countries just signed memoranda of understanding on trade and economic cooperation and industrial cooperation, while others will still be signed on energy and security.
Buhari accepted Erdogan’s invitation to embark on a state visit to Turkey as soon as possible.
Buhari meets Turkish president at Aso Villa
Earlier, President Mohammadu Buhari on Wednesday held bilateral talks with the visiting Turkish President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the State House, Abuja.
On arrival at the Presidential Villa at 11:49am, the Turkish leader was honoured with a grand presidential reception, military parade and 21- gun salute.
President Buhari and Mr. Erdogan are still holding talks at the time of filing this report.
Mr. Erdogan, who is visiting four African nations, was in Ivory Coast and Ghana earlier in the week.
He will also visit Guinea in continuation of his working visit to the continent.