Nigeria's Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has strongly reaffirmed the country's unwavering commitment to religious freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and democratic principles. In a candid appearance on CNN Tuesday night, the minister categorically dismissed allegations from certain foreign officials suggesting that terrorist activities in Nigeria are predominantly aimed at Christians. He labeled these claims as not only misleading but also dangerously detached from the intricate and multifaceted security landscape that defines the nation today.
The minister's remarks were detailed in an official statement released on Wednesday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Malam Rabiu Ibrahim. This timely clarification comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of Nigeria's internal security dynamics, particularly in the context of religious tensions and violent extremism. Idris emphasized that the administration under President Bola Tinubu has intensified its efforts to confront and neutralize the myriad security threats plaguing various regions, with a primary goal of safeguarding the lives, property, and overall well-being of every Nigerian citizen, irrespective of their faith, ethnicity, or social standing.
At the heart of Idris's defense is the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom in Nigeria. He pointed out that Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) explicitly protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to change one's religion or belief and to manifest and propagate it in worship, teaching, practice, and observance. This foundational legal framework, the minister argued, underscores Nigeria's status as a secular state where no religion is favored over another by the government.
Addressing the specific accusations leveled by some United States officials, Idris critiqued them as being rooted in "faulty data and some assumptions" that disproportionately highlight Christian victims while ignoring the broader pattern of indiscriminate violence. "Yes, there are Christians being attacked," he conceded, "but these criminals do not just target one religion; they target both Christians and Muslims, and we have seen that especially in the northern part of the country." He cited numerous instances where Muslim communities in states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto have borne the brunt of banditry, kidnappings, and insurgent attacks, often with devastating casualties that rival or exceed those in Christian-majority areas.
The minister warned that peddling such skewed narratives risks playing directly into the hands of the perpetrators themselves. Terrorist groups and criminal elements, he explained, thrive on division and chaos, and their ultimate strategy often involves exacerbating religious fault lines to destabilize the social fabric. "Those purveying such narratives are unwittingly playing into the hands of criminals whose ultimate objective is to incite conflict between Christians and Muslims in the country," Idris stated emphatically. By framing the violence as a targeted assault on one religious group, these accounts could inadvertently fuel mistrust, provoke retaliatory actions, and deepen existing divides in a nation already grappling with ethno-religious complexities.
Nigeria, Idris asserted, remains a beacon of religious tolerance in Africa and beyond. With over 250 ethnic groups and a near-even split between Muslims (predominantly in the north) and Christians (more concentrated in the south and middle belt), the country has historically managed interfaith coexistence through dialogue, shared cultural practices, and institutional mechanisms like the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). He highlighted everyday examples of harmony: mixed-faith marriages, joint community projects, and national celebrations where both Islamic and Christian holidays are observed with equal respect. Promoting a false image of intolerance, he cautioned, could erode this hard-won harmony and "drive Nigeria towards division."
Furthermore, the minister rejected the portrayal of the violence as evidence of a systemic "fight between Christians and Muslims." Such characterizations, he argued, oversimplify the root causes, which include economic desperation, resource conflicts over land and water, proliferation of small arms, governance gaps, and the lingering effects of the Boko Haram insurgency that began in 2009. "The criminals want to portray the country as if there is a fight between Christians and Muslims," Idris noted. "It is also wrong to characterise Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom. It is wrong to also say that everywhere is not safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is indeed a safe country."
While acknowledging the persistence of security challenges—ranging from insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, farmer-herder clashes in the middle belt, to separatist agitations in the southeast—Idris stressed that these are not indicative of nationwide peril. Vast swathes of the country, including major urban centers like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Enugu, continue to function normally, hosting millions in daily commerce, education, and tourism. International events, business investments, and diplomatic engagements proceed without interruption in these areas, underscoring Nigeria's overall stability.
The Federal Government, under President Tinubu, has demonstrated decisive action, the minister elaborated. Since assuming office in May 2023, the administration has pursued a dual-track strategy: kinetic military operations combined with non-kinetic socio-economic interventions. "Yes, indeed, we have seen security challenges in Nigeria, but we also have to recognise that there is a massive drive by the government to ensure that Nigeria is ultimately safe for everyone," he said.
On the kinetic front, there has been a significant upscale in military capabilities. The government has approved substantial budgets for procuring advanced hardware, including attack helicopters, drones, armored vehicles, and surveillance technology. Troop deployments have been reinforced in hotspot areas, with special operations yielding notable successes: the neutralization of high-value terrorist commanders, rescue of hundreds of kidnap victims, and disruption of supply chains for illicit arms. Recent leadership changes in the armed forces—appointing new service chiefs with proven counterinsurgency expertise—further signal a strategic overhaul aimed at enhancing responsiveness and coordination.
Complementing these efforts is a robust non-kinetic approach. Investments in agriculture have empowered rural communities through subsidies for fertilizers, improved seeds, and irrigation schemes, reducing the appeal of extremism born from poverty. Social safety nets, such as the expanded National Social Investment Programme, provide conditional cash transfers, school feeding initiatives, and youth empowerment schemes to vulnerable populations. Infrastructure projects, including road networks and electricity in remote areas, aim to integrate marginalized regions into the national economy, thereby addressing grievances that fuel unrest.
Idris traced the security trajectory back to 2009, when Boko Haram's uprising marked the onset of widespread insurgency. Over the intervening years, successive administrations have made strides, but the past two years under Tinubu have witnessed "renewed momentum and determination." "In the last two years, there has been a renewed focus, and attention has been put to ensure that Nigeria becomes safe," he affirmed. "We have a massive deployment of resources to improve our military hardware. We have also seen investments in other sectors, such as agriculture and social services to ensure that the non-kinetic approach contributes to the stability of our country. Even the recent changes (of service chiefs) are all geared towards strengthening our security architecture to ensure that government responds to every situation."
In conclusion, Minister Idris's intervention serves as a clarion call for accurate, balanced reporting on Nigeria's challenges. By countering misinformation and highlighting proactive measures, the government seeks to bolster national unity and international confidence. Nigeria's journey toward enduring peace is ongoing, but with constitutional safeguards, tolerant traditions, and committed leadership, the nation is poised to overcome its hurdles and emerge stronger. As the minister aptly put it, the goal is a Nigeria that is "ultimately safe for everyone"—a vision that demands collective effort, factual discourse, and rejection of divisive agendas.
