Nigeria: French President, Hollande, to Visit Nigeria for Security Summit

President Muhammadu will host the second Regional Security Summit in Abuja on Saturday, the presidency has said in a statement.

 Participants in the summit will include President Francois Hollande of France who hosted the first Regional Security Summit in Paris on May 17, 2014. President Buhari and the French President, who is scheduled to arrive Abuja on Friday on an official visit to Nigeria, will be joined at the summit by the presidents of Cameroon, Niger Republic, Chad and Benin Republic.

"The United States, Britain, Equatorial Guinea, the European Union, ECOWAS, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission will also be represented at the summit which will have the successful conclusion of ongoing military operations against Boko Haram at the top of its agenda," a statement by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, said.

"The speedy resolution of the humanitarian crises caused by the barbaric atrocities of the terrorist group will also feature prominently on the summit's agenda. "Before proceeding to the summit, President Buhari will receive President Hollande and the French delegation at the Presidential Villa on Saturday morning. "It is expected that new agreements on further defence and cultural cooperation between Nigeria and France will be concluded and signed after talks between the two Presidents and their officials," the statement said.