Nigeria Seeks Stronger U.S. Partnership to Defeat Terrorism, Vows Renewed Global Cooperation

Nigeria’s government declared on Wednesday that it is prepared to deepen security cooperation with the United States and other allies in a renewed bid to eliminate terrorism, calling for an international coalition to end a crisis that has plagued Africa’s most populous nation for more than a decade.

At a world press conference in Abuja, Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is “fully committed to restoring peace” and welcomes global partnerships to achieve what he called “the permanent defeat of terrorism.”

> “Nigeria stands ready to work hand in hand with the United States and our international partners to eliminate this scourge once and for all,” Idris told reporters. “This administration is resolute — our people deserve security, stability, and the full restoration of their dignity.”
The minister’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights record and ongoing reports of violence in parts of the country’s north and middle belt. Idris rejected suggestions that the unrest was religiously motivated, describing such claims as “based on misrepresented or faulty data.”

He emphasized that President Tinubu’s government had taken “decisive steps” to strengthen the country’s security architecture, noting recent changes in the leadership of the armed forces and what officials describe as a marked improvement in Nigeria’s ranking on the Global Terrorism Index.

> “Our fight is not against any faith or ethnicity,” Idris said. “It is a fight for national survival — for the right of Nigerians to live free from fear.”

The minister urged the United States and other international partners to support the Tinubu administration’s counterterrorism initiatives, adding that Nigeria would “welcome all genuine efforts” to help track and dismantle criminal networks operating across its borders.

The comments follow heightened tensions between Washington and Abuja after the U.S. last month placed Nigeria on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution. The move drew sharp reactions in Nigeria, where officials said it failed to reflect the country’s complex security realities.

Adding to the friction, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump recently warned of possible American military action if the Nigerian government did not halt what he described as “killings of Christians.” Nigerian officials dismissed his statement as “misinformed” and “unhelpful.”

Still, the Tinubu administration appears eager to reassure the international community of its intentions. Idris said the government “acknowledges the gravity” of its security challenges but remains determined to confront them through collaboration rather than confrontation.

> “Nigeria does not deny the scale of the problem,” he said. “What we seek is partnership — not pity, not pressure — to bring lasting peace to our people.”

The country’s latest diplomatic overture underscores a broader effort by President Tinubu to reframe Nigeria’s global image as a credible security partner, even as his government faces mounting domestic pressure to curb violence and rebuild public trust in its institutions.

Whether Washington and its allies will respond with increased support remains uncertain. But for now, Nigeria’s message to the world is clear: it wants friends, not fault-finders, in its long and difficult war against terror.