By Prosper Mene
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has described recent United States military intervention in the country as a “blessing,” signaling openness to deeper security collaboration with Washington in the midst of ongoing challenges with insurgency and violence.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital during her week-long visit to Washington, D.C., Mrs. Tinubu welcomed America’s Christmas Day airstrikes targeting Islamist militants in northwest Nigeria
She stated: “The intervention of the U.S. was quite a welcome development.” She added that Nigeria is “looking forward to collaboration” on security matters and expressed expectations for “more” such actions, describing the strikes as “quite a blessing.”
The comments come against the backdrop of renewed U.S. focus on Nigeria under President Donald Trump, including his public recognition of Mrs. Tinubu at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he praised her as a “very respected woman” and a Christian pastor. The strikes were framed in some reports as a response to concerns over attacks on Christian communities and what some U.S. sources have described as potential “genocide” risks, though Mrs. Tinubu has elsewhere dismissed extreme genocide claims as “propaganda” while viewing Trump’s attention as “divine intervention.”
Mrs. Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria is making “significant progress” in addressing inherited insecurity and economic issues, and she highlighted the value of international partnerships in these efforts.
The remarks were welcomed by mixed reactions online, with some praising the call for stronger bilateral ties and others questioning sovereignty implications or domestic military capabilities.
Her statements shows efforts to reset and strengthen U.S.-Nigeria relations following past tensions over governance, religious freedom, and counterterrorism cooperation.
This development shows the Tinubu administration’s strategy to leverage global support in tackling persistent threats from insurgents, bandits, and criminal gangs in the northern regions.
