Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has described the Christmas Day U.S. military airstrikes on Islamist militants in Sokoto State as a “blessing,” signalling Abuja’s openness to deeper security cooperation with Washington.
Speaking to Fox News Digital during a week-long visit to the
United States, Tinubu said the intervention was welcomed by Nigeria as it
continues to confront insurgent groups and armed criminal networks operating
across several regions.
“The intervention of the U.S. was quite a welcome
development,” Tinubu said. She added that Nigeria is seeking broader
collaboration with the United States on security matters. “Nigeria is looking
forward to collaboration” with the US on security issues. “We are expecting
that there will be more.”
The airstrikes, which reportedly targeted Islamist militants
in north-west Nigeria, have intensified debate in U.S. political circles over
security and religious violence in Africa’s most populous country. During his
previous term, Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “country of particular
concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom, a label the
administration of Bola Tinubu has rejected.
Nigerian officials maintain that the violence, while severe,
is not confined to a single faith or region. Tinubu pointed to the activities
of terrorist groups and criminal bandits operating in forests and rural
communities.
“Terrorist groups hide in the forest, and also bandits and
other people are kidnapping for ransom,” she said.
“We are concerned about our people’s safety,” she added,
referencing measures taken by the federal government, including a nationwide
security emergency, plans to recruit 50,000 additional police officers, and the
redeployment of more than 11,000 officers from VIP protection assignments to
conflict-affected areas.
Responding to criticism over attacks on Christian
communities, Tinubu said the scrutiny has created room for dialogue between
Nigeria and the United States.
“We have that attention. We have the conversation going. And
we are expecting that there will be more. You know, it’s going to yield better
fruit for us, and both for us and also America.”
During meetings with senior U.S. officials, she said she
sought to clarify the complexities of Nigeria’s security landscape. “We live in
Nigeria. We know the situation on the ground,” she said.
A former senator who served until 2023 and previously Lagos
First Lady between 1999 and 2007, Tinubu is an ordained Christian pastor, while
her husband is Muslim, a reflection of Nigeria’s religious diversity. She also
leads the Renewed Hope Initiative, a non-profit aligned with the
administration’s social programmes.
Beyond security concerns, Tinubu linked stability to
economic recovery and foreign investment. Nigeria holds significant reserves of
lithium, cobalt and other critical minerals that have attracted U.S. interest
amid efforts to counter China’s influence in Africa’s mining sector. However,
insecurity in mining regions continues to pose risks.
“We’re doing all we can to make sure that when investors
come, they can feel comfortable and their investment can yield,” she said.
Nigeria, home to more than 230 million people and over 500
languages, has faced decades of corruption, economic mismanagement and
insurgent violence. Islamist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West
Africa Province, alongside criminal bandit networks, have contributed to tens
of thousands of deaths over the past decade
Advocacy organizations have reported high casualty figures
among Christian communities, particularly in rural areas, though independent
verification of some estimates remains challenging.
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