President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, depart Abuja today for Rome, Italy, where he is scheduled to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting, focused on addressing escalating security challenges in West Africa.
The high-level summit, which kicks off on Monday, October 14, brings together leaders from Africa, top military and intelligence officials, and representatives of international organizations to tackle terrorism and transnational security threats facing the region.
According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the meeting will provide a platform for countries to exchange intelligence, share assessments, and strengthen collaborative efforts in combating violent extremism across land and sea in West Africa.
The Aqaba Process, an initiative launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, is co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian government.
It aims to strengthen global cooperation against terrorism, with a growing emphasis on regional hotspots such as the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea, where terrorist activities and maritime piracy continue to pose serious threats.
President Tinubu is expected to participate in several plenary sessions and engage in bilateral meetings with fellow leaders to discuss joint strategies for counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and curbing online radicalization.
Key issues on the agenda include the expansion of terrorist networks, the crime-terror nexus, and the coordination of responses to digital platforms used for extremist propaganda and recruitment.
Accompanying the President on the trip are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; along with other senior government officials.