By Onilede Titi Faith
The Federal Government says its ongoing diplomatic talks with the United States are yielding positive results amid tensions sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks on alleged religious persecution in Nigeria.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Tuesday after appearing on Sky News, saying communication channels with Washington have been reopened to clarify misconceptions about Nigeria’s security and religious situation.
“We are talking to them, and I think they are understanding the situation better,” Idris said, describing the allegations as products of misinformation.
Trump had claimed on Truth Social that Christianity in Nigeria faces an “existential threat” and announced the country’s redesignation as one of “particular concern,” ordering military options for review.
Nigeria dismissed the claim, insisting it guarantees full religious freedom. Idris accused some U.S.-based lobby groups linked to a proscribed separatist organisation of fueling false narratives.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with the U.S. on counterterrorism, saying conflicts in the country are “complex and rooted in criminality and politics, not religion.”
