U.S. President Donald Trump has written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, lauding him for his decisive leadership against terrorists “on behalf of the Nigerian people.”
In a letter to President Tinubu, President Trump applauded Tinubu’s resolve “to tackle the issues plaguing Nigeria, especially the violence affecting Christian communities. 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.”
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.
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
Last week, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja, 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.
The released of the July 6, 2026 letter coincided as reports emerged of moves by a Washington-based lobbying firm engaged by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have shared documents relating to a long-running United States 1993 drug forfeiture case involving President Tinubu with officials of the Trump administration, members of Congress and other Congressional staff.
The firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., disclosed that it was providing records from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning allegations linked to a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding involving funds connected to Tinubu.
Full text of the letter dated July 6, 2026 and released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy) reads:
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
