…Says fight against terrorists will make Nigeria stronger and prosperous
By Egena Sunday Ode
US President Donald Trump has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his decisive leadership “on behalf of the Nigerian people.”
In a letter to Tinubu, 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.”
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
The statement noted that the US-Nigeria relationship flourished in recent times, with the two sides working closely in key areas, especially in tackling security challenges afflicting parts of Nigeria.
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. Through the work of the working group, the two sides agreed on several steps, including training, intelligence sharing, and joint operations to roll back terrorist activities, Onanuga recalled in the statement.
A highlight of the collaboration was 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, the statement added.
Onanuga also recalled that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he held meetings with senior government officials and pledged to strengthen the cooperation between Abuja and Washington DC in security and other areas of collaboration.
Trump’s letter to Tinubu dated July 6, 2016 read:
“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 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.”
“Sincerely,
“Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America”
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