By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Tinubu has officially approved the composition of the Nigerian team for a joint security working group with the United States.
The establishment of this US-Nigeria working group follows high-level talks held recently in Washington, D.C., where a Nigerian delegation, led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, met with key US government officials.
During the meeting, the Nigerian delegation was able to fine-tune the establishment of the group, explaining that the primary goal of the group is to create a unified and coordinated approach for implementing various agreements across defense, intelligence sharing, and counter-terrorism efforts.
According to a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, Ribadu will lead the Nigerian team of the security working group.
Members of the working group, as contained in a statement include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, 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 Police, 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,” the statement added.
Tinubu urged the officials to work closely with their US counterparts to ensure the effective implementation of all security agreements reached during the visit.
The U.S-Nigeria joint security working group is expected to coordinate bilateral efforts toward counter-terrorism, defence cooperation, and regional stability.
The development comes after US President Donald Trump recently redesignated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious-freedom violations and threatened possible military action if attacks on Christians continue
