Trump’s military threat: We’re in talks with the US —FG

The Federal Government says diplomatic engagements are underway to ease recent tensions between Nigeria and the United States over security and human rights concerns.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during an interview on The World With Yalda Hakim on Sky News, aired Monday night.

Idris confirmed that official communication lines between Abuja and Washington have been reopened, expressing optimism that ongoing dialogue is helping to clarify miscon

ceptions surrounding Nigeria’s security challenges.

“Channels of communication have been opened, I can confirm that; we are talking to them, and I think they are understanding the situation better. We believe that most of the information is a result of a lack of proper understanding of the diversity and complexity of the problem we have at hand,” he said.

The Minister also alleged a coordinated misinformation campaign against Nigeria by a proscribed separatist group operating through lobbyists in the U.S.

He said intelligence findings show that the group is leveraging lobbying networks in Washington to influence perceptions and policy directions.

“Let me also put it out there that we are seeing a direct connection between U.S. lobbyists and a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria. They have set up lobbying channels in the U.S., contacting high-level individuals to push narratives that misrepresent the reality in Nigeria,” Idris stated.

While acknowledging Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, Idris emphasized that the U.S. has historically been a strategic partner in counterterrorism efforts and should continue in that role. He appealed for renewed collaboration to consolidate gains against extremist groups

“Yes, indeed, the situation is there, we have conflict in Nigeria, but in the past, the United States government has helped Nigerian authorities deal with this situation. So, we are calling on them to partner with us once again so we can have peace once and for all in our country,” he said.

The Minister also questioned the credibility of some data being used internationally to support claims of religious persecution in Nigeria, arguing that such data is flawed and does not reflect the country’s constitutional and social realities.

“Some of the assumptions are based on data that largely cannot stand any scientific scrutiny,” he noted.

Idris stressed that Nigeria remains a multi-faith nation where freedom of religion is upheld, insisting that current security conflicts are not rooted in religious intolerance.

He urged the international community to take a more nuanced view of Nigeria’s situation, emphasizing the need for understanding rather than misinterpretation.