Buhari reaffirms Nigeria’s support for Independence of Sahrawi

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja restated Nigeria’s support for the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), and their quest for self-determination and independence.

A statement by Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the President stated this when he granted audience to the President of SADR, Brahim Ghali, at the State House, stressing that his position was in line with the several resolutions of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) on the matter.

“Nigeria remains committed to supporting the efforts of the AU and the UN towards finding a lasting solution to the Sahrawi problem,” Buhari said.

Speaking earlier, President Ghali had congratulated Buhari on his re-election and the successful celebration of Democracy Day.

He commended Nigeria’s past support for SADR during President Buhari’s tenure as military Head of State, and the country’s support for liberation movements on the African continent.

The SADR leader said the weight of Nigeria’s support remained crucial to the final resolution of the “continued colonisation of his people.”

It would be recalled that Nigeria recognised SADR on November 11, 1984 when General Buhari was Head of State.

READ ALSO: Buhari vows never to allow Referendum for Biafra

SADR is a partly recognised state which describes itself as a non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara. It is however in control of only the easternmost one-fifth of that territory.

Before the year 1976, Western Sahara was known as Spanish Sahara, a Spanish colony (later an overseas province). Currently, Morocco controls and governs the rest of the disputed territory and describes these lands as its Southern Provinces.

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