In a robust defense of the Nigerian government's counter-terrorism efforts, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has revealed that security forces have neutralized no fewer than 13,000 terrorists and arrested over 17,000 suspects since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023. The minister made this disclosure during an appearance on Channels Television’s flagship political programme, Politics Today, on Friday, where he directly addressed growing international concerns about the country’s deteriorating security situation, particularly those raised during a recent hearing by a United States House Subcommittee on Africa.
The U.S. congressional hearing had featured sharp criticisms of the Nigerian government’s handling of insecurity. Representative Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Michigan, accused the administration of failing to adequately confront persistent attacks on Christian communities across parts of the country, especially in the northern and central regions. The lawmaker’s remarks contributed to renewed calls from some American legislators and advocacy groups for Nigeria to be redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act—a label that had been controversially applied to Nigeria during the final weeks of the Trump administration in 2020 and subsequently removed by the Biden administration in 2021.
Responding to these allegations, Minister Idris described the claims as misinformed and insisted that the Tinubu administration has recorded “significant and verifiable progress” in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violent extremism. Quoting official statistics compiled by Nigeria’s security agencies, he stated: “From May 2023 to date, over 13,500 of these criminals have been neutralised in different operations across the country. Over 17,000 others have been apprehended and are in custody. These are not propaganda figures; they are official numbers directly from our armed forces, police, and intelligence services.”
He further disclosed that many of the arrested suspects have already gone through the judicial process, with several convictions and sentences handed down by competent courts of law. The minister argued that such decisive actions demonstrate the government’s commitment to not only disrupting terrorist networks but also ensuring that perpetrators face the full wrath of the law.
Addressing the emotive issue of religious identity in the ongoing violence, Idris emphasised that President Tinubu remains “deeply saddened and personally pained” by every single life lost to insecurity, irrespective of the victim’s faith, tribe, or political affiliation. “Mr. President has repeatedly said that no Nigerian should die for any unjust reason,” the minister stressed. “Whether the victim is Christian, Muslim, traditional worshipper, or of any other belief, the loss of even one life is one too many. It is not good for our country when any citizen is killed, and no one—absolutely no one—should celebrate such tragedies.”
The minister categorically rejected the narrative of a targeted “religious genocide” against Christians, describing it as inaccurate and divisive. He pointed out that both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to the same criminal elements in affected communities, particularly in the North-West and North-Central zones where banditry and farmer-herder clashes have claimed thousands of lives over the years. “There is no religious genocide in Nigeria,” Idris declared. “What we have is criminality and terrorism that does not discriminate by faith. People are being killed in some areas—Christians and Muslims alike—and it is a sad situation. But the government is doing a great deal to tackle it and will continue to do more.”
He highlighted recent large-scale military operations in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, and Benue states as evidence of the administration’s renewed resolve. These operations, he said, have led to the destruction of several terrorist enclaves, the recovery of large caches of arms and ammunition, and the rescue of hundreds of kidnapped victims. Idris also noted that the government is investing heavily in modernising the armed forces, improving intelligence gathering, and addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, unemployment, and the proliferation of small arms.
While acknowledging that challenges remain and that no responsible government can claim to have completely eradicated terrorism within just two and a half years, the minister expressed confidence that the current trajectory is positive. He urged Nigerians to rally behind the security forces and avoid amplifying narratives that could embolden criminals or strain the country’s fragile interfaith harmony.
The exchange on Politics Today has reignited the broader debate about Nigeria’s image abroad, especially among Western governments and human-rights organisations that have consistently flagged concerns over alleged persecution of religious minorities. For the Tinubu administration, the minister’s appearance served as both a rebuttal to foreign critics and a reassurance to domestic audiences that the government is neither complacent nor complicit in the face of the country’s security crises.
As Nigeria continues its battle against multiple insurgencies and criminal gangs, the official statistics cited by Minister Idris—13,000 terrorists killed and 17,000 arrested—will likely be scrutinised by independent observers and international partners. Yet for now, the government maintains that the data reflect tangible progress in one of the most challenging security environments on the African continent, underscoring its determination to restore lasting peace and stability for all Nigerians, regardless of creed or ethnicity.
