Tinubu Returns to Abuja After High-Level Counterterrorism Meeting in Rome
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the President’s return in a statement on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
The Aqaba Process, a global counterterrorism initiative launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015, aims to foster regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism and violent extremism. The process is jointly co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy.
This year’s session, hosted at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome on Wednesday, October 15, focused on strategies to strengthen collaboration, particularly in addressing the security challenges facing West Africa.
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The meeting brought together several world leaders, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Also in attendance were Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House; delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan; as well as special envoys and counterterrorism experts. The session was held behind closed doors.
On the sidelines of the event, President Tinubu held bilateral meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs.
The Nigerian leader also met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where discussions centered on promoting religious harmony in Nigeria and countering disinformation campaigns that falsely portray the country as intolerant of religious diversity.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has convened 33 meetings globally, focusing on prevention, coordination, and bridging operational gaps in counterterrorism efforts.
By PRNigeria
