Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for strengthened security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, describing the US Christmas Day 2025 airstrike on Islamist militants in northwest Nigeria as “a blessing” and a major boost to the country’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Mrs Tinubu made the remarks in an interview with Fox News Digital during an official visit to Washington, D.C., in early February 2026. She said Nigeria is seeking deeper collaboration with the United States in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations and broader security partnerships to tackle insurgency, banditry and widespread kidnappings.
Her comments came on the sidelines of the 74th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, where US President Donald Trump acknowledged her presence alongside other international guests and faith leaders.
Linking the US military action to Nigeria’s internal security measures, the First Lady said the Federal Government has intensified efforts to stabilise troubled regions. She cited the declaration of a nationwide security emergency, the recruitment of 50,000 additional police officers, and the redeployment of more than 11,000 security personnel to identified flashpoints across the country.
“America’s Christmas Day strike on Islamist militants in northwest Nigeria was a blessing,” Mrs Tinubu said. “The intervention of the United States was a welcome development. Nigeria looks forward to greater collaboration with the US on security issues, and we expect there will be more.”
She also addressed concerns in some US policy circles regarding religious freedom in Nigeria, rejecting descriptions of the country as a “nation of particular concern.” According to her, Nigeria’s security challenges are driven by terrorism and organised criminal activity rather than religious persecution.
“The challenge we face is terrorism and criminality, not religion,” she said, stressing that government actions are aimed at protecting all Nigerians irrespective of faith or ethnicity.
The visit, however, generated some controversy. Tony Perkins, a US broadcaster and president of the Family Research Council, reportedly declined an interview request from the First Lady’s media team, citing what he described as unresolved concerns over alleged cover-ups of religious persecution in Nigeria—claims Nigerian authorities have consistently denied.
Excerpts from the Fox News Digital interview, reposted on Sunday by the First Lady’s media aide, Busola Kukoyi, on her X handle, circulated widely on social media. In the clips, Mrs Tinubu was quoted as saying Nigeria is receiving renewed global attention and that “good things are starting from the rubble,” a phrase that quickly trended among both supporters and critics.
Observers say the First Lady’s remarks reflect the Bola Tinubu administration’s broader diplomatic push to deepen bilateral security ties with Washington, as Nigeria continues to confront persistent threats from extremist groups and organised criminal networks, particularly in the North-West and North-East regions.
