Nigeria, US evaluate counter-terrorism cooperation

Nigeria and the United States have commenced a meeting of the USA-Nigeria Joint Working Group to evaluate progress in bilateral counter-terrorism efforts and chart the next phase of security cooperation between both countries.

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Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, disclosed this in an X post on Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the Joint Working Group was established in late 2025, following Washington’s re-designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, with its inaugural session held in Abuja earlier this year. Nine months after the bilateral cooperation was formed, Washington launched missiles on suspected terrorists in Nigeria, an attack Abuja said was respectful of its sovereignty.

The Abuja meeting, Ms Bianca said, focused on “efforts to strengthen cooperation on security and intelligence sharing, protection of vulnerable communities, particularly at risk of religiously motivated violence, and other areas of mutual interest.”

Even though both countries have been working together to combat terrorism, their perspective of the situation differs. While the US frames the violence in Nigeria as “Christian genocide”, Nigeria has repeatedly argued that Nigerians of all faiths and backgrounds are being targeted by armed groups.

According to Ms Ojukwu, the Nigerian delegation is led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, while the United States delegation is led by Allison Hooker, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

The current sessions are focused on strengthening Nigeria-US security and defence cooperation and reviewing progress on key areas of the bilateral security partnership.

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These, according to the minister, include plans for the return and enhanced protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs), intelligence gathering and coordination, efforts to tackle terrorism financing, and measures to ensure perpetrators of terrorism and related crimes are held accountable.

The discussions will also examine more effective border control measures aimed at stemming the movement of illicit goods, resources and people, as well as a strategic review of the “Defence Roadmap.”