Nigeria’s Information Minister Mohammed Idris on Friday explained President Bola Tinubu’s postponement of a planned Washington visit as a strategic wait for the “right moment” amid strained ties with the United States, following Donald Trump’s incendiary threats to slash aid and potentially invade over alleged religious persecution.
Speaking on Channels Television, Idris emphasised that Tinubu, who attended the UN General Assembly in New York shortly after taking office, is not shunning America but prioritising optimal conditions for dialogue.
“We believe that he will go once the situation is right for him to go,” Idris said. “But he has been to America. I was with him at the UN when he took office.”
The delay coincides with escalating diplomatic friction sparked by Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom, particularly the “mass slaughter of Christians” by jihadists and bandits. Trump, in a Truth Social post, warned: “If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians… (the US) may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing’,” and added that he had instructed the U.S. “Department of War” to prepare for possible action.
Tinubu rebutted the claims, affirming: “Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”
Idris highlighted Abuja’s proactive response, including a high-powered delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to Washington for talks aimed at bolstering relations. “This is part of diplomatic efforts to engage the US government and strengthen relations,” he noted.
The minister defended Nigeria’s security strides, insisting: “The Federal Government is doing much to curtail the situation.” He dismissed the genocide narrative, arguing the violence affects all faiths indiscriminately.
The row, amplified by a US congressional hearing on Nigeria’s CPC status and recent abductions in Kebbi and Niger states, risks jeopardising over $1 billion in annual US aid.
