President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, October 12, for Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting, a high-level global dialogue focused on tackling the deepening security crisis in West Africa.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the meeting — which begins October 14 — will convene African leaders, top intelligence and military officials, and representatives from international and non-governmental organizations. Discussions will center on combating terrorism, maritime piracy, and transnational crime threatening the region’s stability.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan and co-chaired by Italy, aims to enhance collaboration among nations against terrorism. This year’s focus highlights the growing crime-terror nexus, the connection between Sahel-based insurgencies and Gulf of Guinea piracy, and the increasing risks of online radicalisation.
President Tinubu is expected to participate in plenary sessions and hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to explore new strategies for addressing regional security challenges.
He will be accompanied by Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Minister of Defence), Nuhu Ribadu (National Security Adviser), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed (DG, NIA), and other senior officials.
The visit underscores Nigeria’s commitment to global cooperation in confronting terrorism and ensuring a safer West Africa.
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