President Bola Tinubu has approved the constitution of the Nigerian side of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group as part of measures to strengthen collaboration with the United States in addressing security challenges in the country.
The formation of the team followed a recent visit to Washington DC by a high-level Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Ribadu will lead the multi-agency team, which includes senior officials drawn from key security and foreign policy institutions.
Members of the working group, as contained in a statement signed by the President’s aide, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, include the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu .
Ribadu is to lead the Nigerian side of the Joint Working Group, supported by a multi-stakeholder team comprising senior officials from relevant government establishments.
Members of the Joint Working Group include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Bernard M. Doro, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr Kayode Egbetokun.
Ms Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Mr Paul Alabi of the Embassy of Nigeria in the US will serve as the secretariat.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump had designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, over the lingering killings in some parts of the country.
However, the Federal Government had refused the designation, saying that government was working around the clock to tame the situation.
Following the controversy, the Nigerian President sent a delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to the United States for discussions and collaboration.
Upon returning to Nigeria, the president set up the team to work with US in strengthening Nigeria’s security challenges.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said the “composition of the Joint Working Group was part of the agreement reached during the recent trip to Washington, DC, by a high-level Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.”
President Tinubu has urged members of the Joint Working Group to work assiduously with their US counterparts to ensure smooth operationalisation of all agreements across sectors.
