Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has appealed for diplomatic dialogue between Nigeria and the United States following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria.
In a statement released in Osogbo on Monday and published on the official website of the Osun State Government, Adeleke urged both nations to strengthen long-standing diplomatic ties rather than resort to confrontation. He emphasised that sustained engagement is crucial to resolving security concerns in Nigeria.
“I appeal to the Presidency of the United States of America to support Nigeria to fully implement the recently developed national security strategy,” he said. “The new strategy is comprehensive and capable of taking on the monster of banditry and terroristic killings in many parts of the country.”
The statement, signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, expressed sympathy for victims of violence across northern Nigeria and called for stronger international collaboration. “We need help from the United States and others to solve the terrorism challenge,” Adeleke noted.
He added that a high-level engagement between both governments would help the U.S. understand Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, achievements, and challenges. According to him, “Peaceful interface between Abuja and Washington holds the key rather than military intervention by the American government.”
Adeleke commended the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce diplomatic tension, saying, “This is the time to unite as a nation and support the national leadership to address internal and external threats.”
His statement follows heightened diplomatic tension after Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians — a move rejected by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who reaffirmed that religious tolerance remains a cornerstone of the nation’s identity.
