Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has urged the United States government to pursue diplomatic cooperation with Nigeria rather than military intervention in addressing the country’s security challenges.
Reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat of “security and diplomatic actions” against Nigeria over alleged genocide against Christians, Governor Adeleke described the statement as “concerning” but stressed that mutual respect and collaboration remain the best approach.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Monday, the governor called for a constructive partnership between both nations to confront terrorism and banditry through shared intelligence, capacity building, and humanitarian support.
“Nigeria and the United States share a productive and rewarding diplomatic partnership that must be strengthened, not undermined by threats,” Adeleke said.
“I appeal to the U.S. Presidency to support Nigeria in fully implementing the recently developed National Security Strategy, which is comprehensive and capable of tackling the monster of banditry and terrorism.”
Adeleke expressed sympathy for victims of insecurity across northern Nigeria and said the U.S. concerns should serve as a wake-up call for deeper collaboration on counterterrorism.
“Nigeria needs the support of the United States and others to overcome the menace of terrorism,” he added. “High-level engagements at the presidential level will help the American government better understand the successes and challenges of ongoing security operations.”
He emphasised that sustained dialogue and expanded security cooperation — not external force — were the keys to lasting peace.
“Peaceful engagement between Abuja and Washington holds the key to stability, not military intervention,” Adeleke noted. “We need our international partners to expand their support for Nigerian security agencies and political leadership to face internal security challenges.”
Governor Adeleke also commended the Nigerian Presidency for its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and reaffirmed his commitment to national unity and peace.
“This is the time to rally behind national leadership to confront internal and external threats,” he said. “We need peace, not war, to deepen our democracy and protect our citizens.”
