President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to meet in the coming days — either at the State House in Abuja or the White House in Washington — to strengthen bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and global security, the Nigerian Presidency has announced.
In a statement released by Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Tinubu, both leaders share a unified commitment to defeating terrorism and safeguarding humanity from violent extremism.
Bwala’s remarks follow Trump’s recent decision to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious persecution.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump share a common interest in combating insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala said.
He noted that the Trump administration had previously provided significant military support to Nigeria, which Tinubu’s government has continued to build upon.
“President Trump assisted Nigeria by authorizing arms sales, and President Tinubu has effectively utilized that opportunity in the fight against terrorism — yielding remarkable results,” he added.
Bwala also addressed speculation over differing views between the two leaders on the nature of terrorism in Nigeria.
“As for perceived differences on whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or people of all faiths, such issues will be discussed and clarified during their upcoming meeting,” he explained.
President Tinubu, in a separate statement on Saturday, reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and equality for all citizens.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the President stated.
He emphasized that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has maintained open engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike, working to resolve security challenges that affect Nigerians regardless of religion or region.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu said. “It overlooks the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians.”
He stressed that religious tolerance is central to Nigeria’s identity and governance, reiterating that the country neither condones nor supports persecution based on faith.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have always been a core tenet of our collective identity. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and will continue to uphold the rights of all faiths,” the President affirmed.
Tinubu further pledged to deepen collaboration with the United States and other international partners to promote peaceful coexistence and protect vulnerable communities.
“Our administration is committed to working with the U.S. government and the international community to strengthen understanding and safeguard all faith communities,” he said.
