ABUJA – The Presidency has announced plans for a high-level meeting between President Bola Tinubu and former United States President Donald Trump in the coming days, following incendiary comments from the American leader accusing Nigeria of ignoring widespread attacks on Christians.
The planned dialogue was disclosed on Saturday by Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, via a post on the social media platform X.
According to Bwala, the central aim of the meeting will be to strengthen bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and to address what he termed “misconceptions” regarding the sectarian nature of terrorist violence in the country.
The announcement comes directly in the wake of a threat from Mr. Trump, who recently suggested the United States could suspend aid and even consider military action against Nigeria over allegations of Christian persecution.
“The two leaders, President @officialABAT and President @realDonald Trump, have shared interests in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala stated.
He highlighted existing security collaboration, noting, “President Trump has assisted Nigeria a lot by authorising the sale of arms, and President Tinubu has adequately utilised that opportunity in the fight against terrorism, with massive results to show for it.”
Clarifying the Narrative on Terrorist Targets
A key point of contention to be addressed at the proposed summit is the characterisation of the victims of terrorism. The Nigerian government has consistently pushed back against claims that militants exclusively target Christians, arguing that insurgents have killed thousands of Muslims and Christians alike.
Bwala indicated that resolving this divergent narrative is a top priority. “As for the differences as to whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or all faiths, those would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders when they meet in the coming days, either in the State House or White House,” he wrote.
The recent accusations from the US political sphere were amplified by American lawmaker, Riley Moore, who has alleged a “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria, labelling the nation the deadliest place in the world for followers of the faith.
In a statement dated October 6, Moore urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action, calling for Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and for an immediate suspension of arms sales until the Federal Government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
The planned Tinubu-Trump meeting is therefore viewed by analysts as a critical diplomatic move to de-escalate tensions and preserve a strategic security partnership that has been called into question.
