Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has been invited for the first at the White House by President Donald Trump of the United States.
The meeting of both leaders which is scheduled on Monday, April 30 expected to focus mostly on Security and economic issues as top agenda. According to the Nigerian presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, Buhari and Trump will “discuss ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries and to advance shared priorities, such as promoting economic growth.
However, as the report of the meeting is making its round on the internet, here are top three expectations from President Trump.
1. To enhance partnership with the African Nation with a population of almost 200 million people
A statement from the White House says, “President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to enhance our strategic partnership and advance our shared priorities: promoting economic growth and reforms, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security, and building on Nigeria’s role as a democratic leader in the region.
It added that ” the relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigeria’s economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance [both countries] mutual prosperity.”
2. To hold Nigeria’s President accountable for the slaughter of Christians
This comes from a report according to David Curry, president and CEO of Open Door USA who insisted that President Trump must seize this opportunity to call Buhari to account for allowing unchecked atrocities against Christians in his country.
Earlier last week, a report of the brutal murder 19 Christians in Benue State got the internet buzzing about the rate at which the Fulani Herdsmen, who has been described as Buhari’s kin, has wrecked havoc in a country barely recuperating from Boko Haram terrorism.
After studying previous attack sites, Open Doors discovered that:
- 88% of Fulani attack victims in Nigeria’s Benue State were Christians.
- 70% of victims in Taraba State were Christians.
- 75% of victims in Nasarawa State were Christians.
The organization believes this systematic targeting of Christians stems from waves of Islamic radicalization in recent decades, with the aim of creating a fully Islamic Nigeria.
Therefore the group which has been actively supporting Christians facing persecution for more than 60 years, call on President Trump to insist that President Buhari do the following:
- Ensure all Nigerians are protected equally, regardless of ethno-religious affiliation, with timely security assistance against impending attacks, and sensible land-dispute solutions that take into account everyone’s needs.
- Take tangible steps to ensure the rule of law is applied uniformly, including through credible, transparent and impartial investigations to bring perpetrators of violence to justice.
- Expand U.S.-Nigeria coordinated efforts for law enforcement and legal training, monitoring and prevention of violence, and distribution of humanitarian assistance to forestall mass migration and help rebuild victims’ lives.
3.To acknowledge the Faults of Buhari’s Administration
An afflicted Nigerian, Fredrick Nwafor of Sahara reporters calls on Trump to look into two major faults of the present APC administration which has tainted and jeopardized the country’s image around the world as follows:
- Human rights violations pointed toward the unlawful detention of the Shiite leader Ibrahim El-Zazky, followed by the extrajudicial killing of his protesting members, as well as members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
- Falsehood which undermining the fights against corruption, the killings and the galloping unemployment figure.
Mr Buhari is the first democratically-elected African President that would be hosted by Mr Trump since his inauguration and as can be recalled, the first African leader Mr Trump spoke to on phone following his inauguration as the U.S. president.
