By Fatima Mukhtar
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Nigeria on Tuesday for the United States to hold high-level diplomatic talks amid growing tensions over allegations of Christian persecution in the country.
According to reports from the Presidency, the visit comes days after former U.S. President Donald Trump accused the Nigerian government of allowing a “Christian genocide” and warned of possible U.S. sanctions or military action if the attacks persist.
Sources confirmed that Trump has delegated his Vice President, JD Vance, to represent him in the scheduled meeting with President Tinubu. The talks are expected to focus on clarifying the nature of insecurity in Nigeria and strengthening cooperation between both nations in counter-terrorism and human rights protection.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said Tinubu’s visit aims to “correct misrepresentations” about Nigeria’s internal security situation and demonstrate the administration’s ongoing efforts to protect all citizens, regardless of faith.
He stressed that terrorist attacks in Nigeria have claimed the lives of both Muslims and Christians, and that the government remains committed to ending all forms of extremism.
The visit comes as international attention mounts following Trump’s recent comments threatening to halt U.S. aid and possibly deploy military action over alleged Christian killings. Nigerian officials have rejected the claim, insisting that violence in the country is largely driven by insurgents and criminal gangs, not religious persecution.
Analysts say Tinubu’s U.S. visit will be crucial in reshaping diplomatic relations with the new American administration and in defending Nigeria’s image on the global stage.
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