The Presidency has assured that President Bola Tinubu will meet with his U.S. counterpart in the coming days to address allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria. This was revealed by Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, in a post on X on Saturday.
Bwala said the planned meeting would focus on counterterrorism cooperation and clarifying misconceptions about the nature of terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interests in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala wrote.
“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.
“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.”
Weighing on the controversy, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Nigerian leader had anticipated and responded to what he described as “orchestrated moves” against Nigeria’s image abroad, particularly in the United States, by firmly reaffirming his government’s commitment to national security. However, he did not name specific actors behind the issue in a post on his official X handle.
“President Bola Tinubu was well ahead of the orchestrated game unfolding in America as he told the new service chiefs on Thursday what Nigerians expect of them. No more excuses, he said. Nigerians want results.”
The aide quoted Tinubu’s speech to the newly appointed service chiefs at the State House, Abuja, where he acknowledged the evolving nature of insecurity across Nigeria, expressing concern about “the recent emergence of new armed groups” in the North-Central, North-West, and some parts of the South.
“We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head,” Tinubu charged the military chiefs.
He stressed that citizens were no longer interested in excuses or blame-shifting, but in tangible results.
“Nigerians expect results, not excuses,” he said, calling for a new culture of innovation, patriotism, and pre-emptive strategy among the armed forces.
“Security threats are constantly evolving, constantly mutating. We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer,” the President said, referencing the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of violent extremism.
He defended Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to freedom of belief, emphasising ongoing engagements with Christian and Muslim leaders.
The President also pledged Nigeria’s willingness to work with Washington and other global partners to deepen understanding and protect all faith communities.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that Trump had “delegated his Vice, James David Vance, to meet with Tinubu during the visit,” barring any last minute changes.
According to the report, Tinubu is scheduled to visit the United States on Tuesday for top level diplomatic engagements with the US government.
