The Presidency has disclosed the contents of a letter from United States President Donald Trump to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in which Trump praised Tinubu’s “decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people.”
The statement, issued on Wednesday by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, highlighted the U.S. President’s commendation as a mark of recognition for Tinubu’s governance style and his efforts to steer Nigeria’s economic and political direction.
The presidency said that in a letter to Tinubu, Trump applauded the President’s resolve “to tackle the issues plaguing Nigeria, especially the violence affecting Christian communities”.
In the statement, Trump was quoted as saying that it was a true honour to stand with his Nigerian counterpart in the fight against the terrorists and to make Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.
He was also quoted as saying that he is proud to have deployed the US Special Operations Forces “to equip the brave men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria with the skills, tools and intelligence they need” to protect Nigerians.
Dear Mr President,
“Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people. I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities and it is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.
“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time where conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world. We both share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms, and our historic US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has established a robust framework to accomplish this feat.
“I am proud to have deployed the United States Special Operations Forces—among the most elite military units anywhere in the world—to equip the brave men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria with the skills, tools and intelligence they need to protect your homeland and ensure the safety and security of citizens, particularly those of faith who have been under attack. I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.”
Sincerely,
Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America
Nigeria-US Collaboration
Nigeria had deepened its relationship with the US in recent times through collaboration in key areas, especially in tackling insecurity bedevilling parts of Nigeria.
The two countries, last November, agreed to establish a Joint Working Group co-headed by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States.
The two sides have, through the operations of the group, agreed on several steps, including training, intelligence sharing, and joint operations to roll back terrorist activities.
Gains of the collaboration include the May 16 coordinated attack on ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad area, which led to the killing of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and many of his lieutenants.
Last week, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja, where he held meetings with senior government officials, including Nigeria’s NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, and pledged to strengthen the cooperation between Abuja and Washington DC in security and other areas of collaboration.
