Speaking during a joint virtual forum organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigerian Centre in Washington, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged Nigerians abroad to consistently spotlight key national issues and remain engaged with recent developments at home. He acknowledged that parts of the country are grappling with serious violence but stressed that the situation requires unity, focus, and collective action rather than divisive narratives.

Gbajabiamila emphasised that cooperation, rather than blame, is essential to overcoming the security crisis, drawing parallels with how the United States came together to address challenges following the September 11 attacks. He called on Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious differences in confronting insurgency and insecurity.

Also speaking at the forum, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, dismissed claims describing the situation in Nigeria as “genocide,” describing such narratives as misleading. He explained that the security challenges are largely driven by regional conflicts and warned that mischaracterising the problem would lead to ineffective solutions. Tuggar identified contributing factors such as the collapse of Libya after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, the failure of the EU–Sahel strategy, and previous restrictions on arms sales to Nigeria.

He reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the 4D Agenda of Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora, noting that the government sees Nigerians abroad as critical partners in national progress.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the engagement as vital, noting that sustained dialogue fosters deeper understanding and stronger collaboration. She added that all contributions and recommendations from the meeting would be compiled into a communiqué to be forwarded to the President through the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Moderating the session, Gbenga Ogunjimi of the Nigerian Centre in Washington stressed that Nigeria’s diaspora represents a significant global constituency, adding that modern diplomacy must extend beyond government-to-government relations. He highlighted the strategic role Nigerians in the US can play, especially amid evolving relations between both countries.

Representatives of various diaspora organisations called for stronger collaboration between the government and Nigerians abroad in finding lasting solutions to the country’s challenges. They pledged their readiness to support national efforts whenever called upon and advocated for the continuity of the forum, clearer identification of core issues, and the adoption of Nigeria-focused lobbying strategies.

The forum drew participation from about 15 diaspora groups across the United States, represented by their respective leaders.