Segun Ojumu
The Nigerian government has confirmed it is engaging in high-level diplomatic talks with US authorities following a military threat issued by President Donald Trump over ongoing insecurity in the West African nation.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed during an interview on Sky News that communication channels were now open, describing the engagement as a step towards “rapprochement” between the two governments.
Mr. Idris suggested the US President’s stance was rooted in a “lack of a proper understanding of the diversity and complexity” of Nigeria’s security situation.
Correcting the Narrative
The Minister pushed back against the narrative fueling the US threat, insisting that the military has not lost any territory to groups like Boko Haram, and characterising the conflict as “not conventional warfare.”
He also alleged that the misinformation campaign against Nigeria was being driven by domestic groups.
“We are seeing a direct connection between (US) lobbyists and (a) proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, and we have seen how they have set up this lobby in the US, contacting high-up people in the United States to help them to lobby,” Mr. Idris stated.
Despite the diplomatic tension, the Minister affirmed that the US has historically been a strong partner and called for renewed collaboration to “stamp out terrorism.”
He questioned the reliability of data being used to support claims of religious intolerance in Nigeria, arguing that some assumptions were based on data that “largely cannot stand any scientific scrutiny.” Mr. Idris reiterated that the Nigerian constitution enshrines religious freedom and that the country remains a multi-faith nation.
The US Threat
President Trump issued his threat on his Truth Social platform on November 2, ordering the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack.
The statement followed a previous warning that Christianity was “facing an existential threat” in Africa’s most populous country due to the violence.
The President warned that if Nigeria did not curb the killings, the US would launch an attack that would be “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians.”
Mr. Trump had previously hinted at the possibility of military action, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that he “envisage[d] a lot of things,” including the deployment of US troops or air strikes.
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