Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - The Presidency has announced that the United States Government has affirmed its readiness to deepen security cooperation with Nigeria.
This includes the provision of enhanced intelligence
support, defence equipment, and articles to bolster ongoing operations against
terrorist and violent extremist groups within the country.
This commitment follows extensive discussions and engagements
held last week in Washington, DC, between a high-level Nigerian delegation and
senior US officials. The meetings aimed to strengthen the security partnership
between the two nations and explore new avenues for cooperation.
The high-level Nigerian delegation was led by the National
Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Its members included the Attorney General of the
Federation, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, and
the Inspector General of Police. The delegation met with senior officials from
across the US Congress, the White House Faith Office, the State Department, the
National Security Council, and the Department of War.
According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special
Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, a core part of
the engagement involved refuting allegations of genocide in Nigeria. The
delegation maintained that violent attacks affect families and communities
across all religious and ethnic lines. They rejected the wrongful framing of
the situation, arguing such a portrayal only serves to divide Nigerians and
distort the realities on the ground.
The Presidency stated that these discussions offered a
crucial opportunity to correct misconceptions about Nigeria, forge a
constructive partnership with the United States, reinforce mutual trust, and
advance a coordinated approach to protecting vulnerable communities,
particularly in the Middle Belt region.
The United States also expressed its willingness to extend
complementary support, including humanitarian assistance to affected
populations in the Middle Belt and technical support aimed at strengthening
early-warning mechanisms.
Both countries agreed to immediately implement a non-binding
cooperation framework and to establish a Joint Working Group to ensure a
unified and coordinated approach to the agreed areas of cooperation. In return,
the Nigerian delegation reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening
civilian protection measures.
The Federal Government emphasized its awareness of heightened
sensitivities regarding religious freedom and security, assuring citizens that
firm, urgent, and coordinated steps are being taken to secure the nation.
The announcement from the Presidency comes weeks after US
President Donald Trump issued a strong threat, stating he would send US forces
into Nigeria with “guns-a-blazing” if the country did not curb what he
described as the killing of Christians by terrorists. He had also previously
declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over these killings.
Trump had explicitly threatened to stop all aid and
assistance to Nigeria and instructed the Department of War to prepare for
"possible action" to "completely wipe out the Islamic
terrorists."
In response, President Bola Tinubu had previously refuted the
claims of genocide against Christians, maintaining that Nigeria remains
committed to religious freedom and tolerance.
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