Tinubu remains committed to securing Nigerians’ lives, ensuring religious diversity, says Minister
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris has said that the Bola Tinubu administration remains faithful and committed to its responsibility of securing the country and its peoples.
Against the backdrop of United States President Donald Trump declaring Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and threatening action against alleged killings of Christians, the minister said that not only is the government committed to the fulfilment of the constitutional guarantees of citizens’ liberty and freedom of religion, it is also boosting the economy, strengthening the military and intelligence capabilities and leading the country towards greater and shared prosperity.
‘On the current misreading and misjudging of the reality of Nigeria’s true security situation by the United States, President Tinubu is taking the lead to resolve all areas of misunderstanding through all available diplomatic and political channels just as the Federal Government welcomes more collaboration, assistance and partnership with all our foreign partners and the United States’, Idris said.
He said that Trump’s conclusions about Nigeria is based on a ‘wrong perception and misrepresentation of the security challenges in our country. The Federal Government has always recognised the security challenges that had beset our country since 2009 with the advent of Boko Haram terrorists’.
The minister said that, contrary to the American leader’s position, Nigeria’s longstanding security challenges have ‘impacted Christians and Muslims alike, and we mourn every loss of life — knowing that even a single loss of life is one too many.
‘It is important to restate that the menace of terrorism in Nigeria does not exclusively target any religious or ethnic group. As in many parts of the world, extremism is mindless, blind to religion, tribe, or class. It is a war against all peace-loving Nigerians and against the unity and progress of our great nation’.
Idris said that President Tinubu is determined end the country’s security challenges. He added: ‘Since May 2023, when he assumed office, Nigeria’s security agencies have neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists through sustained operations and arrested over 17,000 suspects, who are now undergoing interrogation or prosecution for various offences. Also, more than 9,800 victims abducted by terrorist elements, including women and children, have been rescued and reintegrated’.
The minister explained that the country’s security problem must be consider in the light of the volatile security situation in the Sahel region, including ‘complicating factors such as the collapse of Libya over a decade ago, flooding the region with terrorist elements, extremist groups, and illegal weapons.
‘The regional dimension underscores why Nigeria continues to champion greater cooperation within ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners — including the United States — to stabilise the Sahel and cut off the transnational lifelines of terrorism’.
On the security situation in the North Central part of the country where there had been alleged killings and displacement of communities by marauders, Idris said that the conflict has a socio-economic dimension, especially in Plateau and Benue States. He blamed the state of affairs on ‘age-long farmers-herders violent clashes made worse by climate change and desertification’.
Idris however said that the recent overhaul of the security architecture was desired to ‘infuse fresh energy, innovation, and accountability into our national defence and intelligence systems.
‘The mission is to deliver better results, strengthen coordination among the services, and stamp out terrorism and violent crime in every part of Nigeria. The President’s directive is unequivocal — that every inch of Nigerian territory must be secured, and every citizen must live free from fear’.
The minister said that significant progress had been recorded in the war against terrorism in the Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and North Central zones and other parts of the country in the last two years. He cited a report of the Global Terrorism Index last March which indicated that terrorist attacks were at their lowest in over a decade in Nigeria.
He gave details of the successes in the fight against terrorism and other forms of criminality, saying: ‘In the past eight months, the Nigerian military neutralised over 592 terrorists in Borno State alone. Over 13,500 terrorists and armed criminals have been neutralised. More than 17,000 arrests made. Over 11,200 hostages freed. More importantly, over 124,000 insurgents and their families surrendered, handing over more than 11,000 weapons. In the North-West, especially Zamfara and Kaduna, 11,250 hostages have been freed, and some of the terror leaders —Ali Kachala, Boderi, Halilu Sububu — have been neutralized. In August, the military intercepted and killed, in one fell swoop, over 400 armed bandits who had converged to attack a village in Zamfara.
‘In the South-East, terror attacks have been reduced by almost 80% through the joint effort of our security agencies. In the North-Central, many of these criminal elements have been neutralized, and many arrests have been made. The government is ratcheting up effort to ensure more robust security in the North-Central as new threats emerge.
‘Two terrorism suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Abubakar Abba, who are wanted internationally, are currently undergoing prosecution. The two, who are believed to be leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, were captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation in July.
‘Their arrest marked a turning point in our ongoing operations against terrorism. Usman, the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, allegedly coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also believed to have masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and robberies, the proceeds of which were used to finance terrorism over the years. Abba, Usman’s chief of staff and deputy, is alleged to have led the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around the Kainji National Park, located on the border between the states of Niger and Kwara, as well as the Republic of Benin.
‘Another terror suspect, Khalid Al‑Barnawi, accused of being the mastermind of the 26 August 2011, bombing of the United Nations Complex in Abuja, in which 20 people were killed and more than 70 others injured, is also facing prosecution. Captured in 2016, Al Barnawi is facing trial along with four other terror suspects – Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Mohammed Bello aka Datti, Mohammed Salisu, and Yakubu Nuhu aka Bello Maishayi.
‘On 11 August, five terror suspects were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the 5 June 2022 attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
‘Also, undergoing trial are the suspects arrested in connection with the Yelwata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on 13 June 2025, where dozens of people were killed and 107 were injured. drew worldwide condemnation. On 24 June 2025, 26 suspects in connection with the massacre were arrested. In August 2025, terrorism-related charges were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the suspects.
‘There are hundreds of other suspects under the military’s protective custody, whose cases are being handled by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. So far, 125 of the terrorists have been convicted. The various arrests and trials of terrorism suspects showed that Nigeria’s security agencies have been diligent in dealing with the perpetrators of terror in the country’.
