Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has assured that ongoing diplomatic efforts between Nigeria and the United States are yielding positive results toward easing recent tensions between both governments.
Speaking on the UK-based Sky News programme “The World With Yalda Hakim”, Idris emphasized that communication lines between Abuja and Washington remain active and constructive. His remarks were contained in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Malam Rabiu Ibrahim.
According to the Minister, discussions are helping to clear misconceptions surrounding Nigeria’s internal security challenges.
> “We believe that most of the information is a result of a lack of proper understanding of the diversity and complexity of the problem we have at hand,” Idris explained.
He further alleged that certain U.S.-based lobbyists are collaborating with a proscribed separatist group in Nigeria to mislead American authorities.
> “Let me also put it out there that we are seeing a direct connection between U.S. lobbyists and the proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.
And we have seen how they have set up this lobby in the U.S., contacting high-up people in the U.S. to help them to lobby,” he said.
Idris reaffirmed that the United States has long been a strategic ally in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and appealed for continued support in eradicating extremism.
> “Yes, indeed, the situation is there—we have conflict and security challenges in Nigeria. But in the past, the U.S. government has helped Nigerian authorities to deal with these situations.
So, we are calling on them to partner with us once again, to help push this, and then we can have peace once and for all in our country.”
Expressing Nigeria’s concern over certain reports and statistics emerging from the U.S., the Minister urged the international community to approach the situation with context and balance.
> “We want to tell the world that this is not the case, and to appeal to them, that we share the concerns of our people and that of the international community, including the U.S., about some of these killings going on.
But what we want at this point is an understanding of the diversity and the complexity of the situation. Some of the assumptions are based on data that largely cannot stand any scientific scrutiny,” Idris stated.
He also reaffirmed that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that ongoing conflicts in the country are not rooted in religious persecution.
> “Nigeria remains a multi-faith nation,” he said, stressing that the country’s unity and diversity remain its greatest strengths.
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