Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has declared the country safe amid ongoing insecurity, pushing back against claims of genocidal attacks on Christians during an exclusive interview with CNN.
Idris emphasized that violence affects both Christians and Muslims, rejecting characterizations of Nigeria as religiously intolerant.
“Nigeria is not that bad,” the minister stated. “Yes, we have seen attacks on some Christians; we have also seen attacks on Muslims as well. But it’s wrong to characterize Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom.”
He acknowledged persistent security issues primarily in the Northeast but insisted the situation has improved dramatically.
“It’s also wrong to say everywhere is not safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is indeed a safe country, but we do recognize that we have security challenges in the Northeast,” Idris said.
Recalling the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, he noted: “Once upon a time, some of the territories in the Northeast were taken over by Boko Haram… They were holding about 14 local governments at a time, but that is no longer the case.”
The minister highlighted restored mobility and government efforts: “Traveling around the country was a problem at some point, but that is no longer the case. The government of Nigeria is working hard to ensure the protection of lives and property and to ensure that people go about their businesses.”
Idris also criticized U.S. officials’ claims, attributing them to “faulty data.”
The interview comes amid international scrutiny of Nigeria’s security landscape, including religious freedom concerns raised in global reports.
