Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, has appealed to the Saudi Arabian government to share intelligence with Nigeria in the fight against transnational terrorism and insurgency.
Nigeria’s government stands ready to work with Saudi Arabia, Akpabio assured them.
On Thursday, Akpabio made the call while he was formally hosting Dr. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Salamah, the leader of the Saudi Arabia/Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, in his office.
“Let me welcome you to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the Senate President, Mr. Jackson Udom, said in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media. It gives us great pleasure to have you visit us. Since 1961, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a robust diplomatic relationship.
Nigeria as a nation requires substantial security assistance from the Saudi Arabian government. Only by exchanging intelligence will we be able to defeat insecurity and transnational terrorism, and I promise that Nigeria’s security architecture is prepared to work with you.
“You would have succeeded in making the world a safe and peaceful place for all of us to live in if you provided intelligence that would aid the fight against insurgency,” Akpabio stated. “Insecurity in any part of the world is insecurity everywhere in the world.”
“Our relationship today has gone beyond pilgrimages and oil,” Akpabio continued, “because Nigerians are now studying and working in Saudi Arabia in various spheres of human endeavors.” It is noteworthy that there are benefits and reciprocal economic ties, particularly in the aviation industry. I would like to congratulate you and the Saudi government on the stability of your economic policies, which have led to Saudi Arabia’s prosperity.
In particular, Akpabio was pleased with the Saudi Arabian government’s Vision 2030 for women’s rights and the significant economic changes in the travel and entertainment industries.
“The Gulf of Guinea is strategically very important to the world, and if Saudi Arabia is unstable, the Gulf of Guinea as a whole will not be stable.” We should support our bilateral relationship because anything you do for Nigeria benefits the entire black population, not just Nigeria.
“I want you to think of Nigeria as a key partner in your quest for economic partners. We are requesting additional investments from you in the fields of ICT, gas, and oil. We would be pleased to work with you and have a relationship with OPEC because, by supporting OPEC, you are assisting Nigeria and the Black community in securing and halting the immigration wave, the speaker said.
The delegation’s leader, Dr. Al-Salamah, had earlier in his speech said that the purpose of their visit to Nigeria, and specifically the Senate, was to deepen their longstanding bilateral relationship with Nigeria and explore new avenues for cooperation and support that would benefit both nations as a whole.
Our purpose in being here today is to identify potential areas for future bilateral agreements and collaborations. One of our most important strategic allies is Nigeria. Saudi Arabia places a lot of importance on Nigeria. We take great pride in its people, culture, and system of governance. In terms of trade, the economy, and international relations, we anticipate Nigeria growing to be a very prosperous nation,” he said.
