Samuel Omang
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.
The high-level summit, which took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, focused on strengthening regional and international collaboration in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, particularly in West Africa.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a counter-terrorism initiative co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy. It aims to enhance global coordination in addressing terrorism through prevention, partnership, and closing operational gaps.
Among the leaders in attendance were King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Others included Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, as well as delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan, alongside special envoys and security experts.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, provided a platform for participating countries to share intelligence, strategies, and experiences in tackling violent extremism across regions.
On the sidelines of the event, President Tinubu held bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs. Discussions focused on economic cooperation and security partnerships.
The Nigerian leader also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, where they discussed religious harmony and interfaith understanding in Nigeria. President Tinubu used the opportunity to counter disinformation campaigns that falsely depict Nigeria as a nation intolerant of religious diversity.
Since its creation, the Aqaba Process has convened 33 meetings at various levels, from heads of state summits to technical expert sessions, all anchored on the principles of prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in global counterterrorism efforts.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed the President’s return to Abuja on Saturday.