The Interview Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Information Minister: Stopping militant attacks
Mar 29, 2026
Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Information Minister and senior government official, discusses national security, international intelligence cooperation and responses to recent attacks. He talks about energy policy, boosting domestic refining, and plans to curb brain drain through industrialisation. Short, direct conversations on stabilising security and reshaping Nigeria’s economy.
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Security Framed As Foundation For Economic Recovery
- Restoring security is the Tinubu government's top priority to enable economic and social recovery.
- Mohammed Idris links security improvements to agricultural reforms like a new Ministry of Livestock Development and investments in dry-season farming and implements.
Immediate Security Response After Maiduguri Attack
- The government responded to the Maiduguri suicide bombings by redeploying service chiefs and approving funds for weapons to tackle violent extremists.
- Idris emphasises renewed on-the-ground attention and that porous borders and Sahel instability complicate the threat.
No Single-Failure Narrative For The Bombings
- Idris rejects framing recent attacks as an intelligence failure but admits more work is needed and stresses round-the-clock efforts by security agencies.
- He calls intelligence sharing and regional cooperation essential to prevent recurrence.