President Bola Tinubu has authorized the formation of Nigeria’s delegation to the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation in addressing the country’s security challenges.
The group’s composition was agreed upon during a recent visit to Washington, DC, by a high-level Nigerian team led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
According to a statement on Thursday, the NSA is expected to head the Nigerian delegation, supported by a multi-stakeholder team of senior officials from relevant government agencies.
Other members of the Joint Working Group 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.
“Ms. Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Paul Alabi of the Embassy of Nigeria in the US will serve as the secretariat,” the statement added.
“President Tinubu urged members of the JWG to work assiduously with their US counterparts to ensure smooth operationalisation of all agreements across sectors,” said Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Nigeria’s security situation drew international attention when former US President Donald Trump raised concerns about Christian genocide in Nigeria, threatening to deploy the US military to the country “guns-a-blazing.”
However, the Federal Government dismissed the claim, stating that it was actively taking measures to address security issues in Nigeria.
President Tinubu emphasized that the safety of Nigerians is a top priority for his administration and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to religious freedom and tolerance.
On November 21, the US House Subcommittee on Africa examined Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
During the session, various speakers testified before the subcommittee, offering differing perspectives on the killings in Nigeria.
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