TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Turkey to get more involved in supporting Nigeria’s economy and humanitarian efforts in the north-east.

Buhari made the demand on Friday when he put a phone call across to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to Garba Shehu, the former’s spokesman.

In a statement on Saturday, Shehu said Buhari “called for greater Turkish participation in the economy and the humanitarian efforts in the north-east.”

The president was also said to have expressed satisfaction with existing bilateral ties between the two countries,

“The President also used the occasion to, on behalf of himself, the Government and the people of Nigeria, extend a sincere message of goodwill and felicitation on the important occasion of Eid-el-Fitr to President Erdoğan and the people of Turkey,” the statement read.

“President Buhari expressed gratitude to Allah for sparing our lives and granting us the ability to perform the important obligations of the month of Ramadan.

“The two leaders expressed their earnest desire for peace and stability to reign in the world, and for an end to all ongoing conflicts as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Writing via its Twitter handle, the Turkish presidency quoted Erdoğan as expressing his belief that “Nigeria would show solidarity with the Palestinians” in its current battle with Israel.

President @RTErdogan spoke by phone with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/CXx4nugjYI

— Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) May 14, 2021