United States President Donald Trump has expressed satisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the war against terrorism. He has also pledged continued support and a deepening of the partnership between the United States and Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.
In a July 6 letter to the Nigerian leader, released yesterday in response to an earlier letter by Tinubu, Trump praised the President’s commitment.
“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.
“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.
The US President described relations between Washington and Abuja as critical at a time of growing insecurity across West Africa and other parts of the world, noting that both countries shared a common objective of confronting terrorism in all its forms.
Trump disclosed that the United States had deployed its Special Operations Forces to train and support the Nigerian Armed Forces with advanced skills, intelligence and operational tools required to combat terrorism and protect lives.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said security cooperation between both countries had expanded significantly in recent months. It recalled that President Tinubu and President Trump agreed in November last year to establish a Joint Working Group, co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries, to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaye, described Trump’s letter as a recognition of President Tinubu’s leadership and the Nigerian military’s successes in the fight against terrorism.