The Federal Government on Wednesday rejected the United States Government’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom, insisting that the classification was based on “misinformation and faulty data.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, FNIPR, addressed a crowded press briefing at the National Press Centre, Abuja, saying the US stance undermines the enormous progress made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in combating terrorism and securing communities across the country.
Idris also dismissed the growing rhetoric of military intervention against Nigeria by US President Donald Trump, noting that such threats stem from “wrong perceptions and misrepresentation” of the country’s security realities.
The minister emphasized that Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis which escalated in 2009 with the emergence of Boko Haram has inflicted suffering on Christians and Muslims alike.
Extremism is blind to religion, tribe, or class. It is a war against all peace-loving Nigerians,” Idris said.
He stressed that many top officers in the Armed Forces and intelligence community are Christians, working shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslim colleagues in major offensives against insurgency.
Idris rolled out key statistics highlighting progress since May 2023 when Tinubu assumed office, including ober 13,500 terrorists neutralised since 2023, over 17,000 terrorists arrested, 9,800 kidnap victims rescued and 124,000 insurgents and families who had surrendered to the Nigerian military forces.
He added that, 592 terrorists were killed in the past eight months in Borno State alone, forcing terror attacks to dropp to its lowest levels in over a decade citing Global Terrorism Index
Recent operations in the North-West, he stated, have prevented major attacks, including an interception in Zamfara state, where over 400 armed bandits were neutralized in a single strike.
The government called for a deeper international understanding of the complex drivers of insecurity, stressing that the major challenges were as a result of fallout from Libya’s collapse and illegal weapons flow into the Sahel.
He added that Climate-change-driven farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central, with Cross-border terrorism networks, which heightened the scale of their nefarious operations.
The minister stated that these factors demand more regional and global cooperation not accusations.
Aside from outrightly killing terrorists, he listed high-Profile arrests and prosecution, including the trial of Mahmud Muhammad Usman (ANSARU “Emir”), Abubakar Abba (Deputy leader), Khalid Al-Barnawi (Mastermind of 2011 UN Abuja bombing) and other suspects behind St. Francis Owo Catholic Church attack
Similarly, he noted that 26 suspects have been charged to court over the Yelwata massacre in Benue State, adding that, so far, 125 convictions have been secured, with hundreds more undergoing legal processes.
Idris affirmed that Nigeria’s relationship with the United States remains cordial citing on-going defence cooperation, including, the accquisition of 12 Super Tucano aircraft, procurement of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, stressing that constructive engagement is the surest path to peace and stability,” and called on Washington to adopt a “more informed perspective.”
The Minister reassured Nigerians that the Constitution fully protects freedom of worship, adding: Nigeria is in capable and steady hands with President Tinubu leading the charge to strengthen our security and economy.”
He pledged that the government will “remove the last vestiges of terrorism” through decisive action backed by rule of law.
