Tinubu appoints Ribadu to lead US-Nigeria Joint Working Group

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has appointed National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu to lead the Nigerian side of the newly constituted US-Nigeria Joint Working Group.

The US-Nigeria working is as part of steps to deepen collaboration in tackling security challenges in the country, Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, 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 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,” Onanuga said in the statement.

Other 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.

The statement from the presidency further indicated that 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.

“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,” the statement concluded.