State Visit: Tinubu, Akpabio, Others Departs Abuja to UK After 37 Years

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will depart Abuja on Tuesday, March 17, for a State Visit to the United Kingdom as guests of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

President Tinubu will be accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

This was disclosed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy in a statement.

King Charles will host President Tinubu and his wife at Windsor Castle from Wednesday, March 18, to Thursday, March 19.

The state visit is the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, this is as President Tinubu is also the first Nigerian leader to be hosted by the British monarch at Windsor Castle.

Part of the statement said Nigeria and the United Kingdom share a deep history of ties and a special bond, adding that the purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations and explore avenues for collaboration on issues such as immigration, trade, investment, and cultural exchange.

While at Windsor Castle, Their Majesties will invite the President and the First Lady to view a special exhibition of items from the Royal Collection related to Nigeria.

Later, the King and the President will hold private discussions and meet with organisations engaged in interfaith dialogue, both nationally and internationally.

The Royal Family will host a State Banquet in honour of the Nigerian guests in the evening.

President Tinubu will also hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, which will lead to expanded bilateral engagement between senior officials of the two countries.

“The meeting will culminate in the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements, including those on trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.” Onanuga said.

On the trip, President Tinubu will witness the signing of the landmark £746 million financing deal between the UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Federal Ministry of Finance to support the refurbishment of two of Nigeria’s major national maritime infrastructure – the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.

The President will be the guest of honour at the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, showcasing modern arts and culture, and will also attend a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders and the diaspora community.

Members of the President’s entourage include: Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

Others are: Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd); National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.

President Tinubu will return to the country at the conclusion of the State Visit.

Insecurity fuelled by poor governance, not Sharia – Ex-Reps member A former member of the House of Representatives from Bauchi State, Muhammad Danmaliki, has faulted a recent report by a United States lawmaker alleging genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

Danmaliki, while trying to set the records straight, said in his estimation, the country’s insecurity stems from the government’s failure to tackle criminality rather than the application of Sharia law.

Danmaliki made the remarks during a press briefing on Thursday while reacting to a report presented by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore to former U.S. President Donald Trump, which called for the repeal of Sharia and blasphemy laws in Nigeria under the banner of protecting Christians.

According to the former lawmaker, the claim that Christians are facing genocide in Northern Nigeria is “false and misleading,” stressing that the country is confronting a broader security breakdown that affects both Muslims and Christians.

“I hereby condemn the report and all claims of genocide against Christians in Northern Nigeria. Nigeria is not experiencing any Christian genocide in any part of the country,” Danmaliki said.

He noted that several religious and political leaders had also rejected the genocide narrative, including Islamic scholar Ahmad Gumi, the Vatican under Pope Francis, and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Danmaliki added that the Federal Government of Nigeria, the First Lady, Remi Tinubu, as well as traditional rulers across the country, had also dismissed the genocide label.

He explained that the country’s insecurity is largely driven by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping networks, governance challenges, and the proliferation of weapons across the Sahel region.

“The whole world knows the reality on the ground. It is a security breakdown, not religious extermination,” he said.

While listing insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province among the drivers of violence in the country, the former lawmaker argued that both Muslims and Christians have suffered significant casualties from the ongoing crisis, particularly in the North-East and North-West regions.

Danmaliki also defended the operation of Sharia law in Northern Nigeria, noting that it applies only to Muslims and operates within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution through Sharia courts established by state governments.

According to him, non-Muslims are not subject to Sharia criminal law and retain full access to conventional courts.

“Sharia in Nigeria applies only to Muslims. It exists within the Nigerian Constitution and does not bind Christians,” he said.

He further argued that Sharia courts often provide faster and less expensive adjudication in civil matters, which sometimes attracts voluntary participation from non-Muslims in disputes involving Muslim parties.

As a result, Danmaliki cautioned foreign governments against interfering in Nigeria’s legal and religious systems, stressing that the country’s sovereignty must be respected.

“The call to abolish Sharia law in Nigeria crosses from advocacy into interference. No foreign government has the mandate to redesign Nigeria’s religious framework,” he cautioned.

While acknowledging that Nigeria faces a serious security crisis, the former lawmaker warned that framing the violence as a Christian-Muslim war could deepen sectarian tensions and undermine peacebuilding efforts.

He urged international partners to focus on practical measures such as security reforms, counter-terror financing, border control cooperation, and intelligence sharing to address the root causes of the crisis.

“Nigeria’s tragedy is real, and the victims are real, but the genocide narrative is false. Justice must be universal, and diplomacy must be balanced,” he insisted.