The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, received the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Embalo, at the State House, Abuja.
Embalo who is in Nigeria for a courtesy visit arrived at the Aso Rock Villa after the conclusion of Friday’s Council of State meeting earlier chaired by President Buhari.
The Bissau-Guinean leader was received by the President amidst ceremonial performances by the Presidential Brigade of Guards after which both leaders proceeded into a closed-door session.
However, neither Buhari nor Embalo spoke with journalists as the press conference scheduled after their meeting was cancelled.
The leader’s visit comes one year after his administration was almost toppled in a foiled coup on February 1, 2022.
That Tuesday, soldiers reportedly surrounded a building where Embaló was attending a cabinet meeting as gunfire was heard.
Since its independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has suffered a series of coup d’etat, military revolts and political assassinations.
Last year’s attempt was part of a resurging trend in West Africa in the past 32 months; with the civilian governments in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso being toppled within that period.
A day after the incident, Buhari, in a phone conversation, congratulated his Bissau-Guinean counterpart for “surviving the coup attempt.”
He also commended the loyal troops in Guinea Bissau for the show of patriotism leading to their “spectacular victory” over the disloyal elements of the military.
Buhari also assured Embalo of Nigeria’s support, saying, “I look forward to working with you to strengthen the existing bilateral ties between our sisterly nations and the defence and promotion of democracy and its values throughout the sub-region, and the entire continent.”
