Expert Advocates Appointment Of Nigeria’s Ambassador To US

A senior programme officer at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Oge Onubogu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately appoint a Nigerian ambassador to the United States to boost diplomatic engagement and better manage global narratives about Nigeria’s security situation.

Onubogu made the appeal during a U.S. Congress hearing on Nigeria’s possible designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), monitored on Channels Television.

She warned that the absence of an ambassador hampers Nigeria’s capacity to shape conversations around ongoing security challenges.

“It is critical for President Tinubu to appoint a capable Nigerian ambassador to the U.S., as also recommended in my testimonies in March,” she said.

Onubogu stressed that accountability must be at the heart of the government’s response to escalating violence.

She noted that rising criminality in the Middle Belt has been fuelled by years of impunity, leaving many communities feeling abandoned.

According to her, this vacuum has allowed narratives of genocide to gain traction.

She urged the Tinubu-led administration to accelerate police reforms, describing Nigeria’s single federal police structure as inadequate for the country’s complex security realities.

With the military overstretched and performing roles meant for the police, Onubogu advised reassignment of police officers currently deployed as personal security to wealthy individuals.

She also called for stronger coordination between federal and state governments, warning that persistent blame-shifting undermines effective crisis response.

Turning to electoral reforms, she emphasised the need for early preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, noting that the new leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must work to rebuild public trust, curb the use of religion as a tool for political violence, and strengthen judicial and security systems supporting the electoral process.

Onubogu appealed for a renewed partnership between Nigeria and the U.S., urging both nations to use current diplomatic tensions as an opportunity to deepen cooperation.

“Nigeria must tackle its institutional weaknesses in security, justice, and conflict prevention. The U.S. should engage in open dialogue to better understand Nigeria’s complexities. Both countries have vital interests in countering jihadist threats in Nigeria, West Africa, and the Sahara,” she said.