By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
President Bola Tinubu will on Sunday, October 12, depart Abuja for Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government meeting.
According to a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the meeting aims to tackle the worsening security situation across West Africa.
The statement noted that the high-level gathering, which begins on October 14, will bring together Heads of State, top defence and intelligence officials from Africa, as well as representatives of international and non-governmental organisations, to deliberate on emerging security concerns in the region.
DAILY POST reports that the Aqaba Process, a counter-terrorism initiative launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan and co-chaired by Jordan and Italy, is focused on strengthening global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
The 2025 edition will centre on the rising threats in West Africa, including the expansion of terrorist networks, the intersection of organised crime and terrorism, and the connection between land-based insurgencies in the Sahel and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“At the meeting, participants will exchange assessments of the current security landscape in West Africa and foster collaboration between regional and international partners to address cross-border security challenges.
“Participants will also develop strategies to counter the terror threat on land and the sea. The meeting will discuss ideas on how to coordinate efforts to combat online radicalisation and disrupt digital networks that facilitate terrorist propaganda and recruitment.
“In addition to attending the plenary sessions of the Aqaba meeting, President Tinubu will hold bilateral talks with other leaders to explore ways of addressing the rising security challenges across the subregion,” the statement added.
The statement further mentioned that the President will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu–Ojukwu, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, and other senior government officials.