Premium News
The federal government has again faulted some US officials for allegedly using faulty assumptions and data to assert that terrorist elements in Nigeria were targeting Christians.
It said purveyors of such narratives were unwittingly playing into the hands of criminals whose ultimate objective was to incite conflict between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in an interview on CNN Tuesday night.
Idris emphasised the concerted moves by the Tinubu administration to tackle the country’s security challenges to guarantee the safety and well-being of all citizens.
The minister described the notion as a fallacy that did not reflect the country’s complex security realities and the right to freedom of religion enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
He portrayed Nigeria as a highly tolerant country that respected freedom of religion, warning that promoting a false narrative of intolerance can inadvertently sow division between Christians and Muslims in the country.
Idris said in the statement, “Characterising it as attacks on Christians will drive Nigeria towards division. The criminals want to portray the country as if there is a fight between Christians and Muslims.
“We have seen attacks on Christians. We have also seen attacks on Muslims as well. Muslims and even those who do not identify with any faith have suffered at their hands. But it is also wrong to characterise Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom, and it’s also wrong to say that everywhere is not safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is, indeed, a safe country, Idris said.
“Some of the claims made by some officials of the United States are based on faulty data and some assumptions that the victims of this violence are largely Christians.
“Yes! There are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not just target one religion. They target Christians. They also target Muslims. We have seen that especially in the northern part of the country.”
The minister acknowledged that while security challenges existed in the country, the government was tackling them decisively and with sustained commitment.
Highlighting recent gains in the war against terrorism, the Minister revealed that between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists and criminals were neutralized, while nearly 10,000 hostages were rescued during military operations nationwide.
He also confirmed that the top leadership of ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, was captured last month in a coordinated counter-terrorism operation.
“These feats expose as unfounded the notion that Nigeria is passively tolerating religiously motivated terrorism,” the Minister added.
Idris emphasized Nigeria’s inclusive leadership structure, noting that both Christians and Muslims hold top positions in the Armed Forces and Police.
He also underscored Nigeria’s global recognition for interfaith peacebuilding, pointing to the recent Commonwealth Peace Prize awarded to Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa for their decades-long work in promoting interfaith dialogue.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to safeguarding all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and to ensuring justice through continued prosecutions of Boko Haram and other terrorist suspects.
“The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide or persecution, but of resilience, diversity, and peaceful coexistence,” Idris stressed.
He urged the international media and commentators to act responsibly, avoid sensationalism, and support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
“Yes, indeed, we have seen security challenges in Nigeria, but we also have to recognize that there is a massive drive by the government to ensure that Nigeria is ultimately safe for everyone,” he said.
He stated that Nigeria had been grappling with security challenges since 2009, but explained that in the past two years, there had been sustained momentum and determination to eradicate the threats.
