By Umma Muhammad Ishaq
The Federal Government has said that ongoing diplomatic engagements between Nigeria and the United States are producing positive outcomes aimed at easing tensions between both countries.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this during an interview on the UK-based Sky News programme The World With Yalda Hakim on Monday night, amid renewed international criticism of Nigeria’s handling of religious and security challenges.
He confirmed that “channels of communication have been opened,” adding that the U.S. government now has “a better appreciation of Nigeria’s complex and diverse realities.”
“Much of the earlier misunderstanding arose from an incomplete grasp of our domestic challenges,” Idris said.
The minister also alleged that intelligence reports had traced links between a proscribed separatist group in Nigeria and some U.S.-based lobbyists accused of spreading misleading narratives to policymakers.
“We have observed a direct connection between lobbyists in the United States and a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. These groups are actively engaging influential people in the U.S. to advance false impressions,” he said.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s long-standing partnership with Washington in combating terrorism, Idris called for renewed cooperation to strengthen security and achieve lasting peace.
Meanwhile, U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga expressed disappointment with Nigeria’s handling of alleged attacks on Christians, urging economic sanctions instead of military measures.
Also reacting, the Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelisation at the Vatican, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, blamed Nigeria’s insecurity on internal divisions and growing intolerance, describing it as “self-inflicted.”
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the FCT called for dialogue as the best path to resolving national crises, while pan-Yoruba group Afenifere urged the government to address terrorism through comprehensive, non-military strategies.
Idris, however, maintained that Nigeria remains committed to peace and transparency, insisting that some of the alarming statistics circulating abroad “cannot withstand scientific scrutiny.”
