Tinubu Sets Up Nigeria–US Security Taskforce

…Ribadu Leads Nigerian Team as Police Recall 11,566 VIP Orderlies

By Peter Salami

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the Nigerian contingent of the Nigeria–US Joint Working Group (JWG), marking a major step in the deepening of bilateral cooperation to confront Nigeria’s escalating security challenges.

The announcement was made yesterday in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. The JWG is one of the key outcomes of last week’s high-level security talks in Washington, D.C., led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Ribadu will head the Nigerian team, supported by senior officials from key ministries and security institutions. Members include 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 Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.

Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser and Paul Alabi of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington will serve as the JWG secretariat.

According to the presidency, Tinubu urged members “to work assiduously with their US counterparts to ensure smooth operationalisation of all agreements across sectors.”

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police yesterday confirmed a sweeping recall of 11,566 police personnel assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs), following a presidential directive aimed at redirecting manpower to public safety.

Speaking during a conference of senior police commanders in Abuja, Egbetokun said the withdrawn officers “will be deployed to active police entities immediately,” adding that the move was designed to shift focus from personalised security to broader national protection where police presence “is urgently required.”

He cautioned, however, that the implementation must be carefully managed to avoid “misinterpretation, misinformation, and exploitation by undesirable elements.” Detailed modalities, he said, would be issued first internally and later made public “in a structured and controlled manner.”

The police chief warned senior officers against unhealthy rivalry, insisting that “rivalry helps crime while synergy breaks it.” He called on Commissioners of Police to embrace genuine interagency cooperation, including joint tactical patrols, shared intelligence briefings, and coordinated operations with military support where necessary.

Egbetokun also directed security commands in high-threat states to initiate monthly intelligence roundtables and joint tactical plans after major incidents. He urged expanded border-security operations in frontier states such as Kebbi, Niger, and Sokoto, stressing that only unified action can stem cross-border criminality.

The IGP reaffirmed the force’s commitment to strengthening institutional integrity and ensuring that the new security measures are implemented responsibly and effectively.