President Bola Tinubu has approved the composition of the Nigerian contingent to the US–Nigeria Joint Working Group, a key step aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on security.
The formation of the group follows agreements reached during a recent high-level visit to Washington, D.C., led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
According to a statement issued on Thursday, Ribadu will chair the Nigerian side of the Joint Working Group (JWG), supported by a multi-agency team consisting of senior officials from critical security and government institutions.
Members of the JWG include the 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 the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser and Paul Alabi of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington will serve as the group’s secretariat.
“President Tinubu urged members of the JWG to work assiduously with their US counterparts to ensure the smooth operationalisation of all agreements across sectors,” the statement signed by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said.
Nigeria’s security situation has faced heightened international scrutiny, particularly after US President Donald Trump alleged a “Christian genocide” in the country and suggested deploying American troops. The Nigerian government dismissed the claims, stressing that it was intensifying efforts to tackle insecurity.
President Tinubu has repeatedly maintained that the safety of Nigerians remains a top priority, and reiterated the country’s commitment to religious freedom and tolerance.
On November 21, the US House Subcommittee on Africa reviewed Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), hearing sharply differing testimonies on the nature and scale of violence within the country.
