US intervention in Nigeria a ‘blessing’ – Remi Tinubu

2026-02-09 - 16:08

By Enitan Abdultawab First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has described the United States’ engagement in Nigeria as a “blessing”. In an interview with Fox News in Washington, D.C., she reflected on the recent international attention on Nigeria, including criticisms over insecurity, reported attacks on Christians, and U.S. airstrikes targeting militant groups. She said, “It (US intervention) was quite a blessing. Who would have thought that President Trump would recognise me? Even to say the least, it was unexpected.” Tinubu also said the country is making significant progress in tackling insecurity and addressing the economic challenges inherited by the current administration. “The country is moving forward. We are ensuring that we can tackle insecurity. We have replaced some service chiefs with new ones. Also, because of what happened in Nigeria and the world concerns about Christians with insecurity, the president declared a state of emergency in November and went further to instruct the Inspector General of Police to recruit 50,000 new police officers to the force. He also asked that an additional 24,000 soldiers be recruited,” the First Lady said. Tinubu further revealed that more than 11,000 police officers who were previously attached to VIPs have been recalled and redeployed to security hotspots across Nigeria, including Plateau, Benue, and Taraba states. She stressed that the government is listening to global concerns while prioritising the safety of Nigerians. “We hear what the world is saying. We are concerned about our people’s safety. Nigeria is a place that encourages freedom of religion, as it is entrenched in our constitution,” she said. The First Lady also discussed the government’s economic reforms, highlighting the removal of fuel subsidies as a historic step to address Nigeria’s economic crisis. “We have been able to educate them more about the situation. We live in Nigeria, and we know this is a democracy. We want the outside world to know that this government will bring us out of the economic crisis we inherited because this is the first time the government will remove subsidies. We were producing oil, but we were not refining it. Now we have refined products,” she explained. According to Tinubu, these measures reflect a broader strategy to modernise Nigeria’s economy while ensuring national security. The combined efforts in both security and economic reforms, she said, are intended to demonstrate the government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizens and the country’s position as a democratic nation capable of addressing internal and external concerns.