The Presidency has confirmed that plans are underway for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to meet United States President Donald Trump, though it stressed that any diplomatic engagement must follow established protocol. “It could happen at any time. In diplomacy, protocol is key,” Special Adviser on Media and Policy Communication Daniel Bwala told reporters, adding that the meeting could take place “either at the White House or the State House.”
Asked about rumours of potential U.S. sanctions against Nigeria, Bwala warned that punitive measures would hurt ordinary citizens rather than the government. “If sanctions are imposed on Nigerians, it is the people who will bear the brunt,” he said, arguing that public rhetoric should not be allowed to derail careful diplomatic talks.
Bwala’s comments followed a flurry of international attention after President Trump publicly said he had directed the U.S. Defence Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria amid allegations of mass killings of Christians — a claim Nigeria has rejected. Trump also moved to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious persecution, a step that has raised tensions between the two capitals.
The Presidency emphasised that any talk of military intervention would require co-operation with Nigerian authorities and careful handling through diplomatic channels.
Bwala told journalists that “we will not be pressured into revealing the stage of discussions because, in diplomacy, there must be respect for protocol.”
He expressed confidence that constructive engagement between the two leaders would produce tangible results.
