By Muhyideen Jimoh
President Bola Tinubu returned to Abuja on Saturday after attending the Aqaba Process Heads of State Meeting in Rome, Italy.
This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday in Abuja.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, aims to strengthen global cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism.
Co-chaired by Jordan and Italy, the initiative fosters security collaboration through strategic dialogue among nations.
The Rome edition, held on Wednesday, focused on boosting international efforts, particularly in combating terrorism in West Africa.
The high-level summit gathered leaders including King Abdullah II, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the Presidents of Nigeria, Chad, Togo, Paraguay, and Sierra Leone.
Also present were Azouz Nasri, President of Algeria’s Upper House, along with delegations from Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Senegal, and Uzbekistan.
Security experts, special envoys, and representatives from global counterterrorism networks also attended the closed-door session.
On the sidelines, Tinubu held bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. presidential adviser on Arab-African affairs, Massad Boulos.
He also met with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to discuss religious harmony and national unity.
The meeting tackled false narratives portraying Nigeria as intolerant of religious diversity and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to peaceful coexistence.
Since its inception, the Aqaba Process has hosted 33 sessions, ranging from expert roundtables to Heads of State meetings.
Its strategy is anchored on three pillars: prevention, coordination, and closing operational gaps in counterterrorism responses. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
