Benin Republic ready to be Nigeria’s 37th State — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has said that the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon had expressed the readiness of his country to become Nigeria’s 37th state.

Speaking after a close-door meeting with Beninoise Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Aurélien Agbenonci, Onyeama said the Beninoise president made the offer when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari a few weeks back.

He said;

“The President of Benin said as far as they are concerned, they want (not just saying it like that) but in reality, Benin should be the 37th state of Nigeria.

“We should really be one. They charged us to come together at ministerial level, to work out a framework for a sustainable relationship.”

Onyeama further disclosed that both presidents also discussed agreements between the two countries to put the issue of smuggling to an end once and for all.