President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said that to achieve greater peace and political stability in their countries, African leaders must work harder to ensure social justice for all their citizens. He spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja while granting audience with the Foreign Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Mr. Agapito Mba Mokuy.
Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also maintained that as leaders of sovereign nations, African Heads of Government must be allowed to discharge their responsibility for peace and security within their countries, without external interference.
He said that this was why Heads of State and Government of the African Union decided against sending peacekeeping troops to Burundi during the country’s recent political crisis.
President Buhari said that he expected the Government of Burundi to work towards greater peace, national unity and social justice for all Burundians to justify the decision of the African Union.
“Governments should be responsible for the security of their countries. Burundi must therefore ensure social justice for its entire people so as not to disappoint Africa in the eyes of the world,” the President told the minister who was in Abuja as a Special Envoy of President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
He assured him that Nigeria will continue to work with Equatorial Guinea and other nations to strengthen the African Union and its various organs for the good of the continent.
Buhari also said that Nigeria will welcome more cooperation with Equatorial Guinea and other members of the Gulf of Guinea Commission to curb piracy and enhance security in the gulf.