FG Says Diplomatic Talks with US Yielding Positive Results Amid Tensions

The Federal Government has confirmed that ongoing diplomatic engagements with the United States are producing positive outcomes in addressing tensions between the two nations.

The statement came on the same day that US Congressman Bill Huizenga criticized Nigeria’s handling of attacks on Christians, calling for economic sanctions rather than military intervention.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelisation at the Vatican, attributed Nigeria’s insecurity to deep-seated divisions and rising intolerance, describing the violence as largely self-inflicted.

Domestically, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) across 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory urged Nigerians to prioritize dialogue as the most effective approach to resolving national challenges. Similarly, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, stressed that terrorism in Nigeria is multifaceted and cannot be addressed solely through conventional military means.

Speaking on Sky News’ The World with Yalda Hakim, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said talks with the US were constructive and yielding mutual understanding. “Channels of communication have been opened…We are talking to them, and I believe they are now appreciating the situation better,” he said, adding that earlier misunderstandings arose from an incomplete grasp of Nigeria’s diverse domestic challenges.

The minister also disclosed intelligence linking a proscribed separatist group in Nigeria to certain US-based lobby organizations accused of misrepresenting the country’s situation to American policymakers.