US President Donald Trump has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his fight against insecurity and counterterrorism efforts.
In a letter to President Tinubu, President Trump applauded Tinubu’s resolve “to tackle the issues plaguing Nigeria, especially the violence affecting Christian communities.”
According to Trump: “It is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against these terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.”
In November last year, President Trump and President Tinubu agreed to establish a Joint Working Group co-headed by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States to facilitate training, intelligence sharing, and joint operations to roll back terrorist activities.
The US president in the later stated “I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities and it is a true honor 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.” It concluded.
Joint US -Nigeria Operation Against Terrorists
Combined US and Nigerian troops sometime this year carried out a coordinated military campaign targeting Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) strongholds in northeastern Nigeria. The operation combined U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and precision airstrikes with Nigerian military planning and ground coordination to disrupt terrorist networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
According to Nigerian military authorities, the operation eliminated more than 200 terrorists and destroyed key logistics bases, weapons depots, and operational infrastructure used by ISWAP. One of the most significant outcomes was the killing of senior Islamic State commander Abu Bakr al-Mainuki (also referred to as Abu-Bilal al-Minuki), a figure described as one of the group’s top global leaders.
