• Says signing of $5.1bn health agreement with US is proof relations between both countries not damaged

From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

The Federal Government has warned that there is no more hiding place for terrorists and other criminal elements in the nation’s forests.

This as it has officially designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, marking a major escalation in Nigeria’s response to abductions, attacks on farmers, and community violence.

This move signals a shift from treating mass kidnappings and rural attacks as ordinary crimes to confronting them under full counterterrorism measures.

The government also said the recent signing of a $5.1 billion health agreement with the United States was proof that diplomatic relations between both countries were not damaged but intact.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the revelations at the end of a press conference he organised in Abuja.

Idris recalled the release of the abducted 130 pupils of the St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State, on Sunday and confirmed that all the abducted pupils, numbering 230, had been freed and not a single pupil was left in captivity due to the efforts of the security agencies.

Idris, on behalf of the Federal Government, empathised with the parents of the pupils for the anguish the abduction caused them and wished them a pleasant family reunion and a good healing process.

He also said 2025 saw the presidential declaration of a nationwide security emergency that will in the months ahead, translate into massive recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Police Force and the deployment of trained and equipped Forest Guards to secure the forests and other vulnerable locations.

“What we used to have in the past is that there are dark spots within our forests that are largely unmanned and have created safe haven for the terrorists and criminal elements. With this kind of recruitment and declaration by Mr President, there will be no hiding place for all the criminals and the terrorists hiding in our forests,” he said.

He noted that in the outgoing year, the government had established a new national counterterrorism doctrine that was anchored on four critical pillars namely unified command, intelligence, community stability and counterinsurgency.

He recalled that in 2025, two of the most internationally wanted criminals, the ISWAP head residing in Nigeria, were captured through the coordination of all the security agencies and all those in the intelligence agency.

“Don’t forget that Abu Bara was captured a few months ago and he was also presented to the public by the National Security Adviser and other security chiefs. This is one of the most wanted terrorists on the African continent and he was captured through the coordination of security forces. Remember also that this was someone who had a large sum of money put on his head by even the Americans, to capture him and bring him to justice. As we speak today, this gentleman, together with his chief of staff, are having their day in court and they are going to get justice that befits them.

“Let me be clear about what this means; it means that henceforth, any armed group that kidnaps our children, attacks our farmers or terrorises our communities is officially classified and will be dealt with as a terrorist organisation. This is the declaration that Mr President had made. The era of ambiguous nomenclature is over.

“If you terrorise our people, whether you are a group or you are an individual, you are a terrorist and you will be classified as such. There is no name hiding under this again.”

•Nigeria-U.S. relation stronger -FG

On the international scene, he said Nigeria has become a respected player on the global stage. To prove his point, the minister explained that in 2025, the country navigated a very complex international diplomacy with maturity and principle and with dignity that Nigerians are known for.

He added that the recent diplomatic spat with the US has been resolved through firm and respectful engagement, culminating in a strengthened partnership.

“For example, the recent diplomatic spat with the United States has been largely resolved through a firm, respectful engagement, culminating in a strengthened partnership between America and Nigeria.

“Let me say it here that what has happened, as bad as it was, has also helped to strengthen the kind of collaboration that Nigeria is having with the United States of America, especially in the area of security, making sure that Nigerians live free of this crime and criminal elements.

“As a further demonstration of this and only a few days ago, the Federal Government of Nigeria signed a five-year $5.1 billion bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States of America. So, for those who are thinking that Nigeria’s relationship with the United States has been damaged, there is further proof only a few days ago of this cooperation agreement signed between Nigeria and the United States,” he said.

Speaking further on the agreement, he explained that the United States would provide $2.1 billion in grant funding, while Nigeria commits $3 billion.

“This has been described as the largest co-investment by any country to date under the America First Global Health Strategy. This will strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system; it will save lives and also attract investment.”

He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that a particular religion was mentioned by the United States to benefit from the agreement, saying every Nigerian would be a beneficiary of the arrangement.

He also said the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.98 percent in the third quarter of 2025, demonstrating resilient and sustained expansion in the non-oil sector.

He also said headline inflation had significantly declined for eight consecutive months, to stand at 14.45 percent in November 2025. Food inflation, he stated, is also on a steady downward trend.

“Our external reserves have strengthened to approximately $44.56 billion, providing a robust buffer that stabilises our currency and assures international investors.

“Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N6.69 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, a 27.29 percent growth year-on-year.

“The most recent Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data, an important measure of business sentiment, indicates that Nigeria has now seen 12 consecutive months of expansion in economic activities.

“On March 4, 2025, Nigeria recorded a maximum daily energy of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh) nationwide, the highest ever in our history.

“Also in the power sector, 2025 saw the kick-off of the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), as well as the issuance of the first Bond under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme, the single largest coordinated financial intervention in the history of our power sector.

“A massively oversubscribed Eurobond issuance, attracting orders amounting to 400 percent of the target of $2.3 billion; demonstrating strong investor confidence in our macroeconomic reforms.

“Nigeria exited the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List, reflecting sustained and coordinated reforms in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes and marking the start of a new reputational and operational chapter for our financial sector,” the minister explained.