“We Have Approached Turkey for Assistance” — FG on Tackling Insecurity

The Federal Government has confirmed it is seeking Turkey’s help to address Nigeria’s rising insecurity challenges.

President Bola Tinubu made the announcement on Friday during a meeting with a Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) delegation, led by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at his Lagos residence. According to his Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu urged religious leaders to support his administration in achieving national security objectives, noting that some measures would take time to yield results.

Tinubu praised the sacrifices of officers and personnel of the armed forces and other security agencies, highlighting the challenges of modernizing military capabilities. He noted that orders for four attack helicopters from the United States would take time to arrive and added, “We have approached Turkey for assistance.”

The development follows recent collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in combating insurgency. On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that US forces had conducted airstrikes in northwest Nigeria, killing several terrorists—a move later confirmed by the Nigerian government.

The strikes have faced criticism from opposition and religious leaders. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) argued that the government should have informed Nigerians before the US announcement. PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong said the government missed the opportunity to properly brief the public.

Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakar Gumi also opposed foreign military involvement, particularly by the US, and urged the government to seek assistance from “neutral” countries, including China, Turkey, and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, initiatives such as community policing and state police remain in progress, awaiting legislative approval.