President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Abuja for Rome, Italy, to attend the Aqaba Process meeting of heads of state and government focused on counterterrorism and regional security.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism. The event is jointly chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian government.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, the meeting which begins on October 14 will bring together African leaders, senior intelligence and military officials, as well as representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to discuss security challenges in West Africa.
The discussions will address the spread of terrorist networks, the growing crime-terror alliance, and the overlap between Sahel-based terrorism and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Participants will exchange assessments of the evolving security landscape in West Africa and strengthen regional and international collaboration to tackle cross-border threats.
The meeting will also explore strategies to combat online radicalisation and disrupt digital networks that promote terrorist propaganda and recruitment.
In addition to participating in the plenary sessions, President Tinubu is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to discuss solutions to rising insecurity in the subregion.
The president is accompanied by Bianca Ojukwu, minister of state for foreign affairs; Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence; Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser; Mohammed Mohammed, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency; and other senior officials.
