BREAKING: NIGERIA REJECTS U.S. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BLACKLIST, SAYS CLAIMS ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING

By Ademola Adekusibe
November 6, 2025.

Nigeria’s government has strongly rejected its inclusion on the United States’ list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, describing the move as baseless and founded on distorted information.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the designation misrepresents Nigeria’s security reality, insisting that the country is battling terrorism, not religious persecution.

According to him, both Christians and Muslims have been victims of extremist violence, and portraying the crisis as faith-based only fuels division.

He revealed that since 2023, security forces under President Bola Tinubu’s administration have neutralized over 13,500 militants and rescued more than 11,000 hostages, stressing that the government remains committed to protecting all citizens regardless of faith.

While reiterating Nigeria’s openness to partnership with the United States on counterterrorism, Idris emphasized that such cooperation must be rooted in “mutual respect for sovereignty and factual understanding.”

The response comes amid heightened diplomatic tension following statements from Washington suggesting possible military intervention in Nigeria.