The Nigerian government has stated that President Bola Tinubu remains calm following a military threat from United States President Donald Trump, who cited concerns over the safety of Christians in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, addressed the situation after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Idris, the President is focused on ensuring the international community understands Nigeria’s efforts to improve security. “Mr President is calm. He is looking at the whole situation; he is looking at the ways and means of ensuring that the international community understands what we have been doing,” the minister stated.
He pointed to recent changes in the country’s security architecture as proof of the government’s commitment. “Only last week or two weeks ago, Mister President in his own desire to rekindle the security architecture of the country, reinvigorated the hierarchy of the armed forces.”
The Minister firmly dismissed the characterization of Nigeria as intolerant and any suggestion that the government favours one religion over another. “For us to be characterized as a country that is not tolerant when it comes to religion, is not accurate. This is absolutely false.”
He attributed the narrative to extremists seeking to divide the nation. “What has happened is that we have these extremists that are driving this narrative, and the desired outcome for them is to see that this country is divided.”
Idris confirmed that the government is pursuing a multi-faceted approach, including diplomacy and engagement with religious leaders. “Mister President has been meeting with them, and of course, he will continue to do that… We have also opened channels of communication so that the international community will understand what Nigeria has been doing better.”
In conclusion, the Minister appealed for national unity and reassured the public of the President’s control over the situation. “Mister president is calm, he is taking this of course very seriously… we believe that we will come out of this very strongly.”
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