Niger Republic, others will stand by me if Nigeria disturbs me - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari stated on Tuesday that he has a secure haven in the Niger Republic, Chad, and other neighboring countries and that he would not hesitate to seek refuge there if Nigeria were to harass him after May 29.

He stated that one of the first things he did after assuming the presidency in May 2015 was to visit the Niger Republic, Chad, and Cameroon to strengthen ties with these nations.

In addition, he provided commentary on a few of his appointments and actions that may not have resonated with many of his associates. On top of the list was his selection of women as finance ministers, which he claimed was a deliberate strategy to repel people, particularly males, who feel too powerful to bother a woman for contracts and other favors.

Yesterday, he spoke at the inauguration of the N19.6 billion Nigeria Customs Service corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and Mrs. Zainab Ahmed served as ministers of finance during the eight years that President Buhari was in office.

He stated, "I purposefully appointed women to give me a great deal of serenity. I ensured that the Ministry of Finance was given to a woman in order to exploit the cultural behavior of all Nigerians: when women are in control, people feel too important to approach them. Therefore, I am confident that tranquilly will be permitted in the Ministry of Finance, where individuals will lobby for their contracts to be paid, etc. Thus, they feel too large to approach women. So, I placed a woman in control. This gave me great serenity."

He stated that his preferred place of residence would be his birthplace, Daura, in Katsina State, which is distant from Abuja and closer to the Niger Republic, his relatives' country of origin.

He stated that if one fails to gain the trust of his neighbors, he and his grandchildren will be in difficulty.

"I spoke a few words about my personal beliefs because I have only six days remaining. And I make every effort to be as far from Abuja as feasible. I hail from a region far from Abuja. I stated that if anyone moves with force, I have excellent relationships with my neighbors. "Nigeria's people will defend me."

Buhari stated that he closed Nigeria's borders deliberately a few years ago to ensure that Nigerians ate only locally produced food, citing the beneficial effects of this decision as encouraging local production, job creation, and security.

He remarked, "I believe I am attempting to convey my point. Nigeria will appreciate it in the future because it creates more employment. People have returned to agriculture. We possess the land, and they will produce our food. And for those who believe that our companions are losers, let's continue to be with them. When I became president, my first visit was to Niger, Chad, and Cameroon because, for personal and national reasons, you are in trouble if you don't have the confidence of your neighbors. If you do not encounter difficulty, your offspring and grandchildren will. "Consequently, it is a great thing that I established relationships with my acquaintances."

Please observe that the distance from Lake Chad to Benin exceeds 1,000 kilometers. Only God can effectively protect this frontier. Therefore, you require a person with the necessary vitality and expertise to effectively supervise it. And I deliberately closed the borders because, knowing Nigerians, I knew they would order rice from Nigerans and then transport it here. We are aware of our capabilities."

Buhari also explained why he appointed Hameed Ali, a retired army colonel and former military administrator of Kaduna State, as Comptroller-General of Customs in 2015, despite objections from various quarters, including the National Assembly.

In addition to praising Ali for his dexterity, the president recalled how the late Sani Abacha assigned him difficult tasks to complete.

He stated that he admired Ali's leadership style, which prompted him to delegate the NCS restructuring and reformation duties.

"I requested that Hameed Ali be in command of customs. Regardless of what others say about the late Sani Abacha, may his soul rest in peace. I knew him very well. When he became president of this country, Kaduna was the most troublesome region.

"He chose Colonel Hameed Ali and assigned him the problems. Hameed Ali's presence at customs was a deliberate choice on my part. I brought Colonel Hameed Ali with me to assure my safety."

He explained that the CG possesses the vitality and expertise to effectively supervise the more than 1,600 kilometers of Nigerian land from Benin to Lake Chad.

President Buhari praised the head of Customs for the enormous structure, stating that it would enhance Customs' operations.

The Customs corporate headquarters, known as "Customs House" and located in Abuja's Maitama district, is a 12-story structure with five floors on each wing and "bridges" connecting the two wings.

The project was devised in 2002 to provide a pleasant and conducive working environment for the building's employees and visitors.