Dialogue With US To Avert Military Confrontation, Adeleke Advises Tinubu

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged President Bola Tinubu to engage in constructive dialogue with the US to avert military action following “the recent threat of security and diplomatic actions against Nigeria by President Donald Trump.”

The US had designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) over claims of Christian persecution.

The designation was immediately rejected by Nigeria, insisting that “religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so” and contended that the US characterisation “does not reflect our national reality.”

However, a statement released in Osogbo and published on the official Osun State Government website on Monday, said Adeleke urged both nations to sustain their long-standing diplomatic relationship, emphasising “renewed diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the United States of America over the recent security situation in the country.”

He said, “I appeal to the Presidency of the United States of America to support Nigeria to fully implement the recently developed national security strategy.

He stressed that, “The new strategy is comprehensive and capable of taking on the monster of banditry and terroristic killings in many parts of the country,” the governor said.

The statement signed by Olawale Rasheed, Spokesperson to the State Governor and shared on the state’s X handle on Monday also expressed sympathy for victims of violence across northern Nigeria.

Adeleke noted that the situation “is a wake-up call to rigorously implement new security measures and forceful counter-terrorism actions in partnership with diplomatic allies,” adding that “we need help from the United States and others to solve the terrorism challenge.”

“Nigeria suffers from unfortunate killings across Northern Nigeria, which has claimed the lives of many innocent citizens.

“We believe a high-powered engagement at the presidential level will particularly open to the American government the ongoing security operations, successes and challenges Nigeria is facing in the fight against terrorism,” he said.

The Osun governor stressed that diplomatic dialogue, not confrontation, should define the response to the current tensions.

“We need our international partners to expand their support for the Nigerian security agencies and its political leadership to face national security challenges.

“Peaceful interface between Abuja and Washington holds the key rather than military intervention by the American government,” the statement further read.

Adeleke hoped that, “This is the time to unite as a nation to support the national leadership to frontally address internal and external threats for the protection of the citizenry.

“This is the time to back the President to enforce the letters and spirit of the Constitution in all facets of national life. We need peace, not war to deepen our democracy and protect our citizens.”