Fatimah Otunsanya
The Presidency has said that President Bola Tinubu will meet with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, in the coming days to discuss allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, disclosed this in a post on X on Saturday, following Trump’s recent comments accusing the Nigerian government of ignoring attacks on Christians.
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.”
Trump recently threatened military action against Nigeria, warning that the United States could suspend aid to the country over alleged persecution of Christians.
Trump’s threat follows weeks-long accusations by a US lawmaker, Riley Moore, who alleged “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria and called the country the deadliest place in the world for followers of the faith, a claim the federal government has repeatedly debunked.
In a s.tatement on October 6, Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action and called for Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and for the suspension of arms sales until the Nigerian government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
Bwala, however, maintained that both leaders share a firm commitment to tackling insurgency and terrorism and strengthening cooperation in global peace and security.