President Bola Tinubu is preparing for high-level diplomatic engagement with United States President Donald Trump “in the coming days” to address explosive allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, the Presidency announced on Sunday.
The meeting potentially at the State House in Abuja or the White House in Washington, aims to clear the air on terrorist attacks that Trump claims target Christians exclusively, while Nigeria insists they affect citizens of all faiths.
Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, broke the news on X, stressing the two leaders’ “shared interest in the fight against insurgency.”
Bwala highlighted Trump’s earlier approval of arms sales to Nigeria, which he said Tinubu has “adequately utilised… with massive results to show.” Any differences over the religious dimension of the violence, Bwala added, “would be discussed and resolved” face-to-face.
The announcement follows Trump’s Friday redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and his threat of military airstrikes or troop deployment if Abuja fails to halt alleged systematic killings of Christians.
Tinubu swiftly rejected the label, insisting Nigeria’s constitution guarantees religious freedom and that insecurity cuts across faiths.
A senior Presidency source told SaharaReporters late Sunday that a standalone Washington visit originally floated for November 4 has been shelved.
Instead, Tinubu now eyes a sideline encounter with Trump at the G20 Summit in Durban, South Africa, on November 20—provided Trump attends. “Conversations are ongoing, but a bilateral White House sit-down is not yet locked,” the source said.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga dismissed weekend rumours that Tinubu would meet U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, calling them “fabricated.”
He reiterated that any White House trip would involve Trump himself. Meanwhile, former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido urged Tinubu to convene all living ex-leaders for a national security summit before any foreign trip.
On X, Nigerians are divided. Hashtags #TinubuTrump and #TrumpNigeria trend with memes mocking a possible snub, while others praise Tinubu for “standing tall.”
One viral post quipped: “From White House to G20 sidelines still better than Zoom.” Security analysts warn that failure to de-escalate could trigger U.S. sanctions or aid cuts, further straining Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
As troops intensify patrols in the North-East and diplomatic phones ring off the hook, one thing is clear: the next 17 days will decide whether Africa’s most populous nation faces its sternest foreign-policy test since the Boko Haram surge or emerges with a stronger U.S. partnership.
For now, the world watches two strong-willed leaders circle each other, with Nigeria’s sovereignty hanging in the balance.
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