Nigeria seeks Turkey’s military assistance amid ongoing security challenges

President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigeria is seeking military support from Turkey to address the country’s persistent security issues.

He made this statement during a meeting with a delegation from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at his Lagos residence on Friday.

In discussions led by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, Tinubu called for the group’s collaboration, noting that some of his administration’s strategies require time to yield results.

He acknowledged the scale of the challenge posed by the nation’s vast “ungoverned spaces” but expressed confidence in overcoming it, highlighting the importance of public vigilance and cooperation.

The President also addressed logistical hurdles in military procurement, stating that replacement hardware is costly and not readily available.

He cited delays in receiving attack helicopters ordered from the United States as a factor in turning to Turkey for assistance.

This move follows recent security cooperation between Nigeria and the U.S., which included a confirmed joint airstrike against terrorist targets in the North-West earlier in the week.

The operation was first disclosed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The airstrike has drawn criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Party spokesman, Ini Ememobong, faulted the Federal Government for not informing Nigerians before the U.S. announcement, suggesting it appeared unprepared.

In a separate critique, prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, called for an immediate end to military cooperation with the U.S., warning that foreign intervention could worsen insecurity.

He urged the government to seek help from what he termed more “neutral” nations like China, Turkey, and Pakistan instead, framing the issue as a potential topic for the 2027 elections.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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