The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has stated that diplomatic channels are working properly to harmonize the relationship between the governments of Nigeria and the United States.
Idris stated this in an interview on the Sky News UK television program "The World With Yalda Hakim," where he said, "The lines of communication are open, and I can confirm that; we are speaking with them, and I believe they are beginning to understand the situation. We believe that much of the information they are receiving is due to an incomplete understanding of the nuances and the complexity of the problem we are facing."
The Minister also linked a banned terrorist group in Nigeria to some pro-government advocates in the US, who are alleged to be spreading false information to American authorities.
He said: "I want to make it clear that we have directly identified a connection between pro-government advocates in the United States and a certain banned terrorist group in Nigeria. We have also seen how they established this cluster of advocacy in America, contacting senior government officials to help them garner support."
The Minister emphasized that the US government has long supported Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, and that the country now needs that kind of solidarity more than ever.
He said: "What we are saying is, yes, we indeed have problems in Nigeria, we have crises and security challenges, but in the past, the US government has helped in addressing such problems. Therefore, we are calling on them to realign with us to completely end this problem."
He expressed that Nigeria is surprised by some of the information coming from the US regarding their position on this matter, stating that the international community must understand the particular context Nigeria is in.
He said: "We want to assure the world that what is being spread is not the case. We appreciate the concern of our citizens and the concern of the international community, including the US, regarding some of the killings happening, but what we seek now is an understanding of the complex situation we are in."
Idris also questioned the veracity of the circulating information which suggests that religious discrimination is occurring in Nigeria, stating that this information "cannot hold up to scientific scrutiny."
He affirmed that the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and the country continues to be a multi-religious nation, even though some conflicts occur, which are not related to religious discrimination.