The Nigerian Presidency has announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will soon hold a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump to address growing tensions over allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, confirmed the upcoming meeting in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. His remarks followed Trump’s recent claims that the Nigerian government has failed to act against the killing of Christians in the country.
According to Bwala, the meeting will center on strengthening counterterrorism collaboration and correcting misconceptions surrounding the nature of terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump share a mutual interest in combating insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala stated.
He added that Trump had previously supported Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations by authorizing the sale of military equipment during his administration — a move that President Tinubu has continued to leverage effectively, with visible results in the fight against terrorism.
Bwala noted that both leaders would also address the contentious narrative about whether terrorist groups in Nigeria specifically target Christians or attack people across faiths. “These differences will be discussed and clarified during their meeting, whether it takes place at the State House or the White House,” he said.
Trump’s recent comments have escalated diplomatic concern after he threatened possible U.S. military intervention and suspension of aid to Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
His warning followed statements by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, who accused the Nigerian government of “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians,” calling Nigeria “the deadliest country in the world for followers of the faith.” Moore had also urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and to halt arms sales until Abuja demonstrated concrete action against religious violence.
Responding to those allegations, Trump on Friday declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” alleging that thousands of Christians were being massacred by Islamist extremists.
“Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump wrote. “When Christians, or any group, are slaughtered like this, something must be done. I am asking Congressman Riley Moore and Chairman Tom Cole to urgently investigate this matter.”
In another post on Saturday, Trump said he had instructed the Pentagon to draft potential military plans should the situation persist.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S. will halt all aid and may go in ‘guns blazing’ to eliminate the Islamic terrorists responsible,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Despite the heated rhetoric, Bwala emphasized that both President Tinubu and Donald Trump remain committed to defeating terrorism and strengthening joint efforts toward peace, security, and global stability.
