Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to deepening Nigeria’s longstanding ties with the United States, describing the relationship as “treasured, warm and robust.”

Speaking on Newsmax TV in Washington, D.C., Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, said renewed US engagement is crucial as global and regional security threats continue to evolve. He noted that a stronger American diplomatic and media footprint in Nigeria would help Washington gain clearer, real-time insights into developments across the country.

Dare particularly underscored the importance of reopening the Voice of America (VOA) office in Abuja, saying on-ground reporting would enrich analysis and shape better-informed US policy decisions. He added that President Tinubu’s deep familiarity with American institutions—having studied in Chicago and worked with a leading US accounting firm—positions him to foster even closer cooperation between both nations.

On Nigeria’s security landscape, Dare dismissed claims that the country is witnessing a religious war or systematic targeting of Christians. As a Christian himself, he said such assertions distort the reality on the ground. According to him, Nigerians across all faiths fall victim to extremist violence driven by transnational criminal networks rather than religious motives.

He traced the crisis to the fragmentation of Boko Haram into factions such as ISWAP, the influx of arms through porous borders, the collapse of Libya, and ungoverned spaces exploited by internationally funded terror groups operating across the Sahel.

Dare also highlighted the durability of Nigeria-US relations through successive administrations, recalling American support during Nigeria’s ECOMOG missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Since the return to democracy 27 years ago, he said, the relationship has remained cordial and mutually beneficial, strengthened by trade ties, energy cooperation and the contributions of Nigerian professionals in the US.

He noted that Nigeria’s adoption of the American presidential system further cements shared democratic values, while cultural and educational exchanges continue to flourish.

As global instability rises, Dare stressed the need for both countries to deepen engagement, maintain open communication channels and preserve a partnership anchored on decades of cooperation, shared interests and strategic alignment.