President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s membership in the US–Nigeria Joint Working Group, a bilateral mechanism aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.The approval follows high-level engagements in Washington, DC, last week, during which a Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, held extensive discussions with senior US officials. The creation of the joint working group was among the key outcomes of those meetings.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Ribadu will lead the Nigerian side of the working group, supported by a multi-stakeholder team drawn from critical national security, diplomatic, defence, and humanitarian agencies. Members include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard M. Doro. Also on the team are the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed; and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The secretariat supporting the working group’s activities includes Ms. Idayat Hassan from the Office of the National Security Adviser and Mr. Paul Alabi from the Nigerian Embassy in Washington. President Tinubu urged the newly constituted team to “work assiduously” with their US counterparts to ensure the smooth implementation of all agreements reached during the talks and to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors. The Joint Working Group is expected to fast-track coordination on intelligence sharing, operational support, humanitarian response, and other bilateral commitments to bolster Nigeria’s national security architecture.
Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/
