The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, has stated that it is aware of the anxiety caused by the United States designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and President Donald Trump’s threats of military action.

Minister of Information Mohammed Idris emphasized that the federal government has long recognized the security challenges facing Nigeria since the rise of Boko Haram in 2009. He stressed that the government and people have always taken note of the US position on alleged religious freedom violations.

Idris highlighted that Nigeria’s security challenges affect both Christians and Muslims and reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to tackling these issues. He cited the successes of security operations since May 2023:

• Over 13,500 terrorists neutralized.
• More than 17,000 suspects arrested and undergoing interrogation or prosecution.
• Over 9,800 abducted victims, including women and children, rescued and reintegrated.

“The menace of terrorism in Nigeria does not exclusively target any religious or ethnic group. Extremism is mindless and blind to religion, tribe, or class—it is a war against all peace-loving Nigerians,” Idris said.

The Minister stressed that claims Nigeria is failing to act against religious attacks are based on misinformation or flawed data. He noted that many key personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces and intelligence agencies are Christians working alongside Muslim colleagues in combating terrorism and criminality.

Idris also pointed to regional and socio-economic factors exacerbating insecurity, including the Sahel crisis following Libya’s collapse, which has flooded the region with extremist groups and illegal weapons, as well as long-standing farmers-herders conflicts in Plateau and Benue States, worsened by climate change and desertification.

“These factors underscore Nigeria’s ongoing advocacy for regional cooperation through ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners, including the United States, to stabilize the Sahel and cut off the transnational lifelines of terrorism,” Idris concluded.