The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to intensifying the fight against terrorism, banditry, and other forms of criminality across the country.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Radio House in Abuja, the Minister conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s sympathies to families affected by recent attacks, including the killing of a senior Army General, the abduction of students in Kebbi State, and the attack on a church in Kwara State.
Idris described the incidents as “painful reminders of the threat we face,” stressing that they have further strengthened the government’s resolve to crush the forces undermining national security.
He disclosed that President Tinubu has postponed his participation in the G20 Meeting in South Africa to concentrate fully on the country’s security situation. The President, he added, has also ordered the deployment of additional military and police personnel to Eruku and the wider Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The Minister revealed that Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently in Birnin Kebbi on the President’s directive to meet with the state governor, security chiefs, traditional rulers, and families of the abducted schoolgirls. He is accompanied by senior government officials, including the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and key humanitarian and emergency management leaders.
Idris emphasized that the nation’s security architecture has been placed on the “highest alert ever,” with clear directives to eliminate terrorists and secure the release of the kidnapped students.
Addressing recent sectarian narratives circulating within and outside the country, the Minister warned against attempts to frame Nigeria’s security challenges in religious terms, saying such claims are “factually inaccurate and dangerously counterproductive.”
He stressed that terrorism and banditry have affected Nigerians across all religious and ethnic lines, and the government remains committed to upholding Nigeria’s identity as a multi-faith nation with constitutionally guaranteed freedom of worship.
The Minister called on Nigerians to unite, reject misinformation, and support ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability.
Idris reiterated the Federal Government’s optimism that the abducted schoolgirls will be safely rescued and reunited with their families, assuring that all resources and strategies are being deployed to secure the nation’s future.
