President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to visit the United States on Tuesday for high-level diplomatic engagements amid rising tensions over allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria and strong warnings issued by US President Donald Trump, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Presidential sources confirmed on Sunday that Tinubu will travel to the US for strategic meetings with senior American officials. According to insider reports, President Trump has delegated his Vice President, James David Vance, to receive Tinubu during the visit, barring any last-minute changes.
Earlier reports revealed that Tinubu and Trump were preparing for a bilateral meeting—either at the State House in Abuja or the White House in Washington—aimed at strengthening cooperation on counterterrorism, global security, and diplomatic relations between both nations.
The information was disclosed in a statement by Daniel Bwala, Media Aide to President Tinubu. Bwala emphasized that both leaders share a unified commitment to combating insurgency and violent extremism.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interest in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala stated.
He further highlighted that the Trump administration had previously provided significant military assistance to Nigeria, including the authorization of arms sales—support Tinubu has continued to leverage in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
Bwala added that any perceived disagreements between the two leaders regarding the targets of terrorism in Nigeria—whether Christians alone or all religious groups—would be clarified during their upcoming dialogue.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated after President Trump issued a stern warning that the United States would halt all aid to Nigeria and could potentially deploy American forces “guns-blazing” if the alleged killing of Christians continues.
Trump declared that if the Nigerian Government “continues to allow” such incidents, the US would “completely wipe out” the terrorist groups responsible, directing his Department of War to prepare for possible military action.
In response, the Nigerian Presidency strongly denied any claim of genocide, stressing that Nigeria’s constitution firmly protects religious freedom for all.
President Tinubu reiterated that Nigeria is a democracy guided by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty, noting that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has worked closely with both Christian and Muslim leaders to address security challenges affecting all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation.
“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu said, describing such claims as misrepresentations of the country’s diversity and ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence.
He affirmed that religious freedom and tolerance remain core national values, stressing that the government neither supports nor condones persecution based on faith.
Tinubu also assured that Nigeria will continue working with the United States and the broader international community to protect citizens of all faiths and strengthen bilateral cooperation on issues of security and religious harmony.
