President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja following his participation in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.
The meeting, which brought together world leaders, focused on strengthening global cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism. Tinubu departed Nigeria on October 12 to attend the summit, which ran from October 14 to 15.
According to a statement on Saturday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s participation reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international security alliances.
“President Bola Tinubu returns to Abuja today after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting in Rome, Italy,” the statement read.
“The summit provided an opportunity to deepen collaboration on counterterrorism, particularly across West Africa.”
The Aqaba Process—launched by Jordan’s King Abdullah II in 2015—is co-chaired by Jordan and Italy and serves as a platform for global leaders to coordinate security responses to terrorism threats.
The Rome edition of the meeting drew several heads of state, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Other notable attendees included Algeria’s Upper House President Azouz Nasri and delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan.
The discussions, held behind closed doors at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, focused on enhancing intelligence sharing, countering extremist propaganda, and closing operational gaps in security systems.
During his stay, Tinubu also held bilateral meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. Presidential Adviser on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, with talks centered on security and economic cooperation.
He further met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to discuss interfaith dialogue and national unity.
“The meeting addressed the widespread disinformation campaigns that falsely portray Nigeria as intolerant of religious diversity,” Onanuga added.
“President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s dedication to promoting peace and religious harmony within and beyond Nigeria.”
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has hosted 33 global summits focused on prevention, coordination, and operational support in the global fight against terrorism.
