Buhari, Jonathan in crucial meeting over militancy

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The meeting, held inside the official residence of the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, came barely 24 hours after Jonathan returned to the country.

A Presidency source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Friday that the “private” meeting was held at about 9pm.

The meeting is believed to have centred on the renewed violence in the Niger Delta being perpetrated by a group called the Niger Delta Avengers.

The source said, “Indeed, the two leaders met. The meeting was a private one. I believe it has to do with the militants’ attacks in the Niger Delta.

“The former President must have offered useful suggestions and assistance on the way out.”

Presidential spokesmen, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, could not be reached on the telephone for comments as of the time of filing this report.

Jonathan had, on Wednesday returned to Nigeria, after a month’s trip to the United Kingdom and Côte d’Ivoire.

He arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport before heading for his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

He left Otuoke for Abuja on Thursday to keep the appointment with the President.

Jonathan had on May 23 dismissed a report that he was on exile in Cote d’Ivoire.

The report by a national newspaper (not The PUNCH) had indicated that Jonathan had been given asylum in that Francophone country for fear of being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

But on May 23, Jonathan denied the report saying, “I’m not on exile. I have no cause to go on exile. It is a wicked and malicious report.”