United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks on Christian communities, while reaffirming Washington’s commitment to deepening security cooperation with Abuja.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, the details of which were made public on Wednesday by the Presidency in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Trump praised Tinubu’s efforts in confronting terrorism and strengthening Nigeria’s security, describing the country’s partnership with the United States as critical amid growing instability across West Africa.
“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 honour to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous,” Trump wrote.
He said the United States and Nigeria shared a common objective of confronting terrorism while pointing to the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap as a framework for expanding military collaboration.
“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time when 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,” he said.
The US President also highlighted ongoing military cooperation, revealing that Washington had deployed Special Operations Forces to help train and support the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“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,” Trump added.
The Presidency said security ties between both countries had expanded in recent months following the establishment of a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States.
According to the statement, the partnership has focused on intelligence sharing, military training and coordinated operations against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region.
It cited the May 16 joint operation targeting ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which Nigerian authorities said resulted in the killing of senior ISWAP commander Abu Bilal al-Minuki and several other militants.
The Presidency also disclosed that US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he met with senior Nigerian officials and pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation in security and other strategic sectors.
The latest exchange underscores growing defence and counterterrorism cooperation between Abuja and Washington as both governments seek to curb extremist violence across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
The ICIR reports that in May 2026, the military announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki during a joint operation with the United States after Trump publicly announced the operation.
The announcement drew scrutiny because the Defence Headquarters had reported in April 2024 that a commander using the same alias had already been killed.
Military authorities later clarified that the two reports referred to different individuals, explaining that Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders frequently adopt identical aliases to complicate intelligence gathering.
The Presidency similarly described the earlier report as a case of mistaken identity.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.