The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the Nigerian Constitution enshrines religious freedom, adding that the country remains a multi-faith nation with no tolerance for religious persecution.

Idris said this in an interview with Sky News, despite records showing that those who killed Christians for alleged blasphemy were never arrested or punished by authorities in the northern part of the country.

According to the minister, the security challenges Nigeria is facing, "and which we have not shied away from acknowledging, are being tackled with boldness and decisiveness."

He reiterated President Bola Tinubu's assurance that diplomatic engagement is ongoing, following a threat by US President Donald Trump to send troops to Nigeria against the persecution of Christians by Islamists.

He said, "Channels of communication have been opened between the Nigerian and U.S. governments, and we believe they are getting a better understanding of the situation. We also believe that the information being peddled is as a result of a lack of a proper understanding of Nigeria's diversity and the complexity of our security situation.

"We are seeing a direct connection between (U.S.) lobbyists and a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria, and we have seen how they have set up this lobby in the US, contacting senior people in the United States government for help.

"The United States government has always supported Nigeria in the fight against terror, and we are urging them to partner with us once again, to help defeat terrorism and extremism."

The minister urged the international community to understand the peculiarities of the Nigerian situation and to have a full understanding of the diversity and the complexity of the situation.

ASA