President Bola Tinubu on Friday night met with the Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The Sierra Leonean leader arrived at the State House around 9:08 p.m. and was received by the Brigade of Guards before being escorted into Tinubu’s office for a private discussion.
The closed-door meeting is coming months after President Bio took over as ECOWAS Chairman in July 2025, succeeding President Tinubu, who held the position for two years.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that this is Bio’s first official visit to Nigeria since assuming the regional leadership role.
Although details of their discussion were not disclosed, sources suggest the talks may be connected to ongoing regional issues, including the growing insecurity across the Sahel and political tensions within the ECOWAS bloc.
The meeting also comes at a time of increased international attention on Nigeria’s security situation, following controversial remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the government of allowing mass killings of Christians.
President Tinubu has since dismissed those claims, describing them as untrue and damaging to Nigeria’s image.
ECOWAS also recently reacted, calling such reports “false narratives designed to inflame tensions” and emphasizing that terror groups in West Africa target innocent civilians regardless of religion.
As of the time of filing this report, details of Friday’s discussions were still being kept under wraps, but insiders say both leaders are expected to address key regional challenges and strengthen cooperation among member states.
However, it could be recalled that President Bio officially took over the ECOWAS chairmanship from Tinubu in July, pledging to prioritize peace, stability, and economic growth across the sub-region.
More details of the meeting to follow…