President Boni Yayi of Benin on Thursday paid a one-day visit to Nigeria, asking for concerted action to check pirates and bandits threatening the security of ports in his country and the Gulf of Guinea coastline. The Benin President, who met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa Abuja, also discussed efforts to check unemployment and develop agriculture in his country.

He also informed President Jonathan of plans by the Benin University to honour him (Jonathan) with a doctoral degree.

The two leaders and their officials later held bilateral talks at which President Jonathan stressed that Nigeria and its neighbours must cooperate in order to effectively fight cross-border banditry, terrorism and piracy.

Jonathan said that “criminals don’t respect political boundaries in their nefarious activities, so we will cooperate with one another to find lasting solutions to the problems they pose.”

President Jonathan said relevant Nigerian government officials would be in contact with their Benin counterparts to find appropriate ways to deal with the situation.

Also Thursday, President Jonathan received the out-going ambassadors of Cuba and Morocco, Mr. Elio Savon Oliva, and Mr. Mustapha Cherqaoui, respectively, who came to pay him farewell visits.

He thanked them for their contributions to the improvement of relations between their countries and Nigeria.

Mr. Oliva spent five years in Nigeria while Mr. Cherqaoui was here for six years.

Pana 12/08/2011