By Seun Ibiyemi
United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
In a letter made public on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Trump commended Tinubu’s commitment to tackling terrorism and strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The US president specifically lauded Tinubu’s efforts to address insecurity and violence in parts of the country.
“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,” he added.
Trump noted that relations between Nigeria and the United States had become increasingly important amid growing security threats across West Africa and other regions of the world.
According to him, both countries share a common objective of combating terrorism, with the recently established US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap providing a framework for closer security collaboration.
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“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,” the letter stated.
The US leader further disclosed that Washington had deployed special operations forces to support Nigeria’s military through training, intelligence sharing and capacity building.
“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,” Trump said.
He also expressed optimism about continued engagement with the Tinubu administration during his presidency.
Security cooperation between both countries has intensified in recent months. In November last year,
Presidents Trump and Tinubu agreed to establish a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States.
The initiative has led to enhanced military training, intelligence sharing and coordinated operations aimed at countering terrorist threats.
One of the major outcomes of the collaboration was the coordinated offensive launched on May 16 against Islamic State hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly resulted in the killing of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, alongside several of his associates.
The latest diplomatic engagement follows last week’s visit to Abuja by the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, who met with senior government officials and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in security and other strategic sectors.
