BY BEN OGBEMUDIA
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the Tinubu administration remains focused on addressing Nigeria’s security challenges to ensure the safety and well-being of all citizens.
Speaking on CNN, Idris dismissed claims by some foreign officials suggesting that terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians, describing such assertions as misleading and not reflective of the country’s complex security realities. He emphasized that the right to freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
“Some of the claims made by certain officials of the United States are based on faulty data and assumptions that the victims of violence in Nigeria are largely Christians. Yes, there are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not target one religion. They target Christians, they also target Muslims — especially in the northern part of the country,” he said.
The minister warned that those spreading such narratives were unwittingly playing into the hands of criminals whose goal is to incite conflict between Christians and Muslims.
Idris stressed that Nigeria remains a highly tolerant nation with respect to freedom of religion, warning that promoting false narratives of intolerance could inadvertently sow division.
“Characterizing these attacks as being against Christians alone will only drive division. The criminals want to portray the country as if there is a fight between Christians and Muslims. We have seen attacks on both Christians and Muslims. It is wrong to depict Nigeria as a nation that does not tolerate religious freedom. It is also wrong to claim that nowhere in Nigeria is safe. Nigeria is indeed a safe country,” he said.
While acknowledging that security challenges exist, Idris said the government was tackling them decisively and with renewed commitment.
“Yes, we have seen security challenges, but there is also a massive drive by government to make Nigeria ultimately safe for everyone,” he said.
He noted that while the country has grappled with insecurity since 2009, the last two years have seen renewed momentum and determination to eradicate the threats.
“In the last two years, there has been renewed focus and attention to ensure that Nigeria becomes safe. We have massively deployed resources to improve our military hardware and also invested in other sectors such as agriculture and social services, to ensure that non-kinetic approaches contribute to national stability.
“Even the recent changes in service chiefs are geared towards strengthening our security architecture and ensuring the government responds effectively to every situation,” he stated.