President Bola Tinubu has endorsed the formation of Nigeria’s team for the newly established US–Nigeria Joint Working Group, a move aimed at strengthening cooperation with the United States in addressing the nation’s security concerns.
This development follows the recent visit of a high-level Nigerian delegation to Washington, D.C., led by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, during which both countries agreed to form the joint body.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the NSA will head the Nigerian side of the Working Group and will be assisted by a multi-agency team drawn from key security and government institutions.
The delegation includes; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard Doro, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Idayat Hassan from the Office of the National Security Adviser and Paul Alabi from the Nigerian Embassy in the US will serve as the secretariat for the group.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga noted that President Tinubu urged the team to work diligently with their American counterparts to ensure the effective implementation of all bilateral agreements.
Nigeria’s security situation has drawn global attention in recent months.
Former US President Donald Trump sparked controversy when he accused Nigerian authorities of overseeing “Christian genocide” and warned that the US could intervene militarily.
The Nigerian government strongly rejected the accusation, insisting that it is actively tackling insecurity while upholding religious freedom.
On November 21, the US House Subcommittee on Africa deliberated on Nigeria’s reinstatement as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), hearing sharply contrasting testimonies about the nature and extent of violence in the country.
