Buhari cancels planned trip to Niger ON December 18, 2017

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA —PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Monday cancelled his planned trip to Niger Republic where he had scheduled to attend the 59th anniversary of the proclamation of Republic of Niger in Tahoua.
President Buhari
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Sunday, said President Buhari was invited to join other world leaders for the celebration of the 59th year of the country's independence.
Giving reasons for the cancellation of the trip, Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Niger invited the leaders of neighboring states, the Presidents of Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Nigeria.
Garba said President Buhari felt satisfied that he had had useful discussions with his friend and brother, President Mahamadou Issoufou in the course of the weekend meeting in Abuja, of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
He said: "After a phone call last night between the leaders, President Buhari decided to send a delegation made up of the governors of Katsina, Yobe and Borno states, with the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs to represent him."