President Bola Tinubu presided over a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, on Thursday, where the recent threat by US President Donald Trump was discussed.
During the meeting, Mr Tinubu expressed confidence that Nigeria will “overcome” its designation by the US as a Country of Particular Concern and prevail over the violent crises affecting various parts of the nation.
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Mr Tinubu described Nigeria as a unified “family,” adding that his administration will take every step necessary to eliminate terrorism and establish peace in the country.
He also urged support from the International community, saying, “We want our friends to help us as we step up our fight against terrorism, and we will eliminate it.”
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“Do we have problems? Yes. Are we challenged by terrorism? Yes. But we will defeat terrorism. We will overcome the CPC designation,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Mohammed Idris told journalists after the meeting that the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by Mr Trump “came up during deliberations at the Federal Executive Council meeting.”
“But the most important thing that I want to say is that the government of Nigeria is responding to the genuine concerns raised,” Mr Idris added.
Thursday’s FEC meeting is the first since Mr Trump started his public criticism of Nigeria last week.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Trump threatened to sanction Nigeria and approve military operations in the West African country if the country does not stop what he claims is the massacre of Christians.
His assertions about the Nigerian security crisis followed months of campaigns and demands by some Republican lawmakers for the US to sanction Nigeria for allowing the “persecution of Christians.”
In early October, a senator, Ted Cruz, introduced a bill that sought to sanction the Nigerian government for allegedly supporting terrorist efforts to eliminate the country’s Christian population.
The bill had framed the violent conflict in Nigeria as an anti-Christian crusade.
Another lawmaker, Riley Moore, who is a member of the House, wrote, days later, to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the “slaughter of Christians.”
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that although President Tinubu and other Nigerian officials had responded to the US President’s claim, Thursday was the first formal meeting between Mr Tinubu, his ministers, and his most senior aides to discuss the matter at the FEC.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Idris said “channels have been opened” for discussions between Nigerian and American officials on the controversy.
