Nigeria is in talks with Washington following remarks by US President Donald Trump, who threatened to deploy American troops to Nigeria.
The meeting, held in Washington, was led by Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser, who was dispatched by President Bola Tinubu to engage US authorities directly over the comments, which have raised concerns in diplomatic circles.
Trump had claimed he would direct the US Department of War to send troops “guns-a-blazing” into Nigeria to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists” he alleged were killing Christians.
The comments drew pushback from US lawmakers, religious groups, and Nigeria’s diplomatic mission, raising alarms over potential tensions between the two countries.
In response, President Tinubu ordered an urgent diplomatic intervention. Ribadu arrived in Washington heading a delegation that included Bianca Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police; Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General of the Federation; and Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff.
The delegation met with Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defence, to seek clarity on the US president’s remarks and reaffirm Nigeria’s sovereignty, security strategy, and ongoing counterterrorism operations.
The talks reportedly focused on maintaining strong bilateral relations, preventing misinformation from escalating into diplomatic friction, and discussing security cooperation frameworks.
Nigerian officials emphasised that the country’s security challenges, while serious, are being addressed through established national and regional mechanisms, rather than through foreign military intervention. (Credit, excluding headline: BusinessDay.
