President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed worry over the increasing infiltration of illegal arms into the Nigerian soil, stressing the need for wider cooperation among countries of Sahel and Saharan regions to counter the threat.

The president made the call today, Saturday at the one-day Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital

The Nigerian leader maintained that the call had become imperative as such illegal arms were flowing into ”the hands of militia forces, bandits and insurgents who are becoming a threat to human rights and internal security.

According to him, his administration has worked closely with immediate neighbours in the last few years to stem the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons making their way into Nigeria.

He, however, noted that the “very disturbing recent developments” had impelled the administration to seek support from a wider circle of countries if the illegal inflows are to be curtailed.

Malam Garba Shehu, Presidential spokesman said in a statement that ”the President is also putting on the table for discussions, the problems of irregular migration, trafficking in persons, especially of women and children as part of the security nature of his engagements.

While in N’Djamena, President Buhari is also expected to press for the protection of the well-being of the large population of Nigerians living both legally and illegally in Libya, which is the host country of the CEN-SAD

President Buhari alongside his host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD, Idriss Deby and their counterparts from Niger and Togo, with high-level representations from other member-countries are expected to issue a communique at the end of the summit.

President Muhammadu has explained why Leah Sharibu, the girl who was kidnapped last year from Science Secondary School Dapchi, Yobe state is still in Boko Haram captivity.

In a statement by the senior special assistance on media to President, Garba Shehu, said the fear of Nigeria’s military by the terrorists is what is making her release a complicated and prolonged affair.

“The interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far,” Shehu said in a commemorative statement marking five years of the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, neighbouring Borno state.

“The report reaching us says her return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the militants.

“They worry that heavy military presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their safety after they return her to the government.

“At the same time, the military cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting their operations to accommodate Boko Haram’s fears.

“Leah Sharibu will be reunited with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options being considered for her safe transportation.

“The success of the Nigerian military in subduing Boko Haram is evidenced by the large numbers of militants who have surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.

“A similar mass surrender of militants is expected to happen soon in Nigeria.

“While Nigerian military operations are ongoing, the government is also engaging with the militants but the talks have been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram – with one group adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution.

“President Buhari also uses this opportunity of the commemoration of the Chibok tragedy to commend the girls, now women, who have triumphed over it all.”

Leah Sharibu, was kidnapped February in 2018 by Boko Haram terrorists, along with scores of schoolgirls from the Science Secondary School in Dapchi, Yobe state.

All the other girls were released, except Sharibu, who reports said had refused to recant her faith, as a christian.

The kidnap had since been turned into a religious matter by some pastors and Christian leaders.

The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, has blamed the previous government for the accumulated workers’ salaries that has given the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello a headache.

Speaking to news men today, Thursday in Lokoja, the State capital, speaker Mathew Kolawole said that Yahaya Bello’s administration inherited four months’ salary arrears owed to state government workers, and 34 months arrears owed local government workers.

According to him, while the immediate past administration paid between 25 and 30 per cent of local government workers’ salaries, the current regime had been paying 65 per cent of the salaries.

“The governor is presently working out plans to clear all outstanding salaries owed to state government workers in the next two months.

“It is not easy to run a state like Kogi with a huge debt profile, and so Gov. Bello is doing his best to uplift the living standard of its inhabitants.”

The speaker said that the state government is now using N840 million monthly to service loans inherited from past administrations in the state, adding that the amount was sourced from the state’s allocation from the Federation Account.

He said that governor Yahaya Bello’s administration inherited huge debts from loans obtained by previous administrations in the state, explaining that the loans accrued during the tenure of Alhaji Idris Wada, when the amount for servicing was about N700 million.

The speaker said that the amount increased to N840 million with the loans obtained by the regime before the present administration.

He explained that the debt servicing had adversely affected the payment of workers’ salaries and the overall development of the state.

Speaker Mathew Kolawole said that the state government would soon create over 10, 000 job opportunities through the Omi Rice project which would be inaugurated in the next two months.