Trump speaks with Buhari, pledges US support to Nigeria in coronavirus fight

The United States (US) on Monday pledged to support Nigeria in its fight against coronavirus.

US President Donald Trump made the pledge to Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari in a phone call on Tuesday, a presidential aide Bashir Ahmad disclosed.

“President Muhammadu Buhari had a phone conversation with the US President Donald Trump today, the two leaders discussed Nigeria’s efforts to defeat the COVID–19 Pandemic,” Ahmad tweeted.

“President Trump pledged US support and solidarity.”

Disclosing details of the phone conversation, Nigeria’s information and culture minister Lai Mohammed said the US president promised send ventilators to Nigeria.

“President Buhari used the opportunity to brief the American President on the steps that Nigeria was taking to contain the spread of the disease,” Mohammed said.

“On his part, President Trump assured that the United States stands in solidarity with Nigeria in this difficult time and promised to send ventilators to support the country in its fight against the pandemic.”

President Trump and Buhari are among majority of world leaders whose countries are fighting against the spread of coronavirus which has infected over two million people globally.

Nigeria currently has 1337 cases of of the virus with 255 discharged after recovery and 40 deaths.

The US, the epicenter of the global pandemic, has the highest death toll of over 57,000 and most confirmed cases of over one million coronavirus patients.