The Federal Government has confirmed it is in active diplomatic talks with the United States following recent military threats made by U.S. President Donald Trump over alleged “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during an interview on Sky News, stating that discussions are ongoing to clarify misunderstandings surrounding the country’s security challenges.
“Channels of communication have been opened. I can confirm that we are talking with them, and I think they are understanding the situation better,” Idris said.
“We believe that most of the information is a result of a lack of a proper understanding of the diversity and complexity of the problem we have at hand.”
According to the minister, the Nigerian government remains committed to diplomacy and believes that both nations can maintain their long-standing partnership.
He noted that contrary to external reports, Nigeria has not lost any territory to Boko Haram and is still tackling insurgency with renewed efforts.
In a surprising revelation, Idris alleged a link between a proscribed separatist group in Nigeria and lobbyists in the U.S.
“Let me also put it out there that we are seeing a direct connection between (US) lobbyists and (a) proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria,” he said.
“We have seen how they have set up this lobby in the US, contacting high-up people in the United States to help them to lobby.”
He added that such efforts were misleading American policymakers and painting an inaccurate picture of Nigeria’s internal security situation.
Despite recent tensions, Idris emphasized that the U.S. has historically been a key partner in the fight against terrorism.
He appealed for continued collaboration between both countries.
“In the past, the United States government has helped Nigerian authorities to deal with this situation,” he said.
“So we are calling on them to partner with us once again, to help push this, and then we have peace once and for all in our country.”
The minister also dismissed claims of widespread religious persecution in Nigeria, stressing that the constitution guarantees freedom of worship.
“Some of the assumptions are based on data that largely cannot stand any scientific scrutiny,” Idris stated.
“We want to tell the world that this is not the case. Nigeria remains a multi-faith nation, and the conflict here is not about religion.”
He urged the international community to understand Nigeria’s diversity and the complexity of its challenges rather than relying on distorted narratives.
Two weeks ago, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, describing the situation as a “Christian genocide.”
He threatened to halt U.S. aid to Nigeria and consider military intervention if the killings persist.
However, Nigeria’s government insists that it is doing all within its capacity to restore peace and protect citizens of all faiths.
