President Tinubu Returns to Abuja After Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Rome

By Chinedu Echianu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after participating in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-level Meeting held in Rome, Italy.

The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global counter-terrorism initiative co-chaired by Jordan and Italy.

According to a statement by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the Rome edition of the meeting focused on strengthening regional and international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, with a special focus on West Africa.

The high-level gathering, which took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, was attended by 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 counter-terrorism experts. The meeting was held behind closed doors.

On the sidelines of the event, President Tinubu held bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs to U.S. President Donald Trump. The discussions centered on strengthening economic and security partnerships.

The Nigerian leader also met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, where they discussed religious harmony in Nigeria and efforts to counter disinformation that falsely portrays the country as intolerant of religious diversity.

Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has held 33 meetings across various levels—from Heads of State summits to technical expert sessions—focusing on prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in global counterterrorism efforts.

The President returned to Abuja on Friday, October 18, after the successful conclusion of the summit.