President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to arrive in Abuja today following his participation in a high-level global summit on counterterrorism and regional security in Rome, Italy.
The summit, held on October 15 at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, was part of the Aqaba Process — an initiative launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan to enhance international cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism, with a special focus on West Africa.
Co-chaired by the governments of Jordan and Italy, the summit brought together Heads of State and Government to strengthen global counterterrorism strategies through prevention, coordination, and information sharing.
According to a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the gathering reaffirmed international commitment to closing operational gaps in the fight against global terrorism.
President Tinubu joined fellow world leaders at the closed-door summit, including King Abdullah II, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
High-level delegations from Algeria, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, Uzbekistan, and Côte d’Ivoire were also in attendance.
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On the sidelines of the summit, President Tinubu held a series of bilateral meetings. He met with Prime Minister Meloni to discuss strengthening Nigeria–Italy ties in the areas of economic development and security.
In a separate engagement, Tinubu sat with Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, who expressed continued American support for Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism and resolve internal conflicts.
The President also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, for a private dialogue focused on promoting religious harmony in Nigeria and countering disinformation that misrepresents the country’s record on religious freedom.
President Tinubu’s participation in the summit reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to global partnerships aimed at eradicating terrorism and fostering peace in West Africa and beyond. He is expected to return to the Federal Capital Territory later today.
