By Olufemi Soneye

The recent decision by the United States to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” has stirred global attention, but it also risks overlooking significant reforms and security gains currently underway in Africa’s largest democracy. While Nigeria faces undeniable security and religious-tolerance challenges, the narrative is incomplete without acknowledging the deliberate steps the Tinubu administration has taken to uphold religious freedom, protect communities and restore stability.

Since assuming office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has treated national security and unity with urgency. Renewed counter-terrorism operations have disrupted major insurgent networks across the Northeast, while intensified intelligence-led deployments in the North-Central region continue to reduce farmer-herder clashes. In the Northwest, coordinated military offensives are degrading bandit networks, and enhanced maritime security in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea has significantly reduced piracy and oil theft, safeguarding both lives and national assets.

Beyond security operations, the government has strengthened community-reconciliation programs and socio-economic interventions to address the root causes of conflict. Humanitarian support for displaced persons has expanded, interfaith dialogue platforms have been reinforced, and community policing frameworks are being enhanced. Importantly, the rights of Nigerians to freely worship, whether Christian, Muslim or of other faiths, remain guaranteed and actively defended, with the President consistently affirming that no citizen’s safety or religious liberty should be compromised.

At the same time, the administration has implemented economic reforms that may be unpopular in some quarters, yet are necessary to reset the economy after years of structural strain. Fuel subsidy removal, exchange-rate alignment and stricter fiscal discipline are intended to stabilise the macro-economic environment, attract investment and lay a foundation for sustainable growth. In such a delicate phase, a designation of this nature risks unsettling investor confidence and placing additional stress on an economy that is fragile but recovering.

Conversations with officials and policy experts in Washington, where I have previously served, reveal that documentary and video evidence, along with direct engagement with victims and advocacy groups, informed the United States Government’s decision. Whether one agrees with Washington’s conclusion or not, its position is based on intelligence assessments and survivor testimonies. Nigeria must therefore respond with clarity and confidence. What Nigeria confronts is persistent terrorism, and few nations have invested as many lives, resources and political effort in fighting violent extremism and protecting religious communities.

Nigeria’s vibrant civil society, independent media remain important instruments of accountability. International partners, including the European Union and the United Nations, have recognised Nigeria’s renewed commitment to inclusive governance and rule of law.

Nigeria welcomes constructive international engagement. To this end, government should deepen dialogue with Washington, share intelligence, carefully review the evidence cited and provide additional context on verified terrorist activities affecting communities of all faiths. Cooperative engagement, rather than isolation, will help ensure mutual understanding and prevent misrepresentation of the realities on the ground.

Labels of this nature can embolden extremist narratives, unsettle markets and undermine ongoing reforms aimed at building a safer and more prosperous nation. The United States remains a strategic partner, and sustained engagement based on mutual respect and shared democratic values remains essential. Nigeria’s path forward requires collaboration and dialogue, particularly at a time when reforms are beginning to yield gradual progress.

Nigeria acknowledges its challenges and is addressing them with resolve and reform. The nation’s future will be determined not by external labels, but by continued domestic progress, constructive diplomacy and genuine international partnership.

*Soneye is a Nigerian media entrepreneur and communications strategist. He served as Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd

Fresh details have emerged regarding the government’s cautious public communication strategy following the recent uncovering of an alleged coup plot, with a senior legal luminary in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet reportedly advising authorities against publicly labelling the incident a “coup.”

PRNigeria gathered that this legal advice was issued shortly after internal intelligence operatives of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) detected what was initially believed to be a coordinated plan by some military personnel and their civilian sponsors to destabilise the government.

The legal professional, described as one of the Presidency’s most respected advisers on constitutional and security matters, reportedly warned that prematurely labelling the incident a “coup” could have serious legal, psychological, and operational consequences.

“The counsel from the Presidency was very clear,” a security source told PRNigeria. “He said we must avoid sensational language until investigations are complete. Once you call it a coup, you set off panic, alert potential accomplices, and make legal proceedings much harder to sustain.”

The counsel stressed that investigators needed to gather incontrovertible evidence before any public pronouncement, noting that hasty declarations could compromise ongoing surveillance and prosecution efforts.

PRNigeria also learned that the caution was partly intended to prevent suspected collaborators—both within and outside the military—from fleeing once the story broke. Intelligence operatives were still tracing communication links and financial flows connected to the detained officers at the time.

The military was also keen to ensure the psychological and mental health of the detained personnel were thoroughly evaluated before concluding that the conspiracy was genuine, especially since many had a history of disciplinary issues.

“The military was handling the issue discreetly to protect institutional integrity,” an official explained. “The deliberate restraint was a strategic decision… The leadership didn’t want to create unnecessary tension in the polity or send wrong signals to our international partners.”

It was on this basis that the Defence Headquarters initially described the arrests as cases of “indiscipline” and “professional misconduct,” rather than linking them directly to any coup attempt. Insiders noted that this tactical press release, however, exacerbated public confusion before the media fully leaked the incident.

While the Federal Government and the DHQ have since reaffirmed their commitment to democratic governance, military and government officials have maintained silence on the full findings until the investigation reaches its legal conclusion.

By PRNigeria

By

Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh

In the grand theatre of Nigerian public life, where noise often masquerades as news and envy parades as activism, one truth remains constant: the measure of a leader’s vision is often revealed by the weight of the storms they must weather. The recent deeply personal attacks aimed at the President of the Senate, His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio,GCON merely affirm his impact. They are the inevitable rumblings that follow the footsteps of those who build, for greatness has always attracted turbulence. It is the familiar rhythm of leadership in a country where change unsettles those too comfortable with decay.

Every student of history understands this pattern. From Nigeria’s founding fathers to the reformers who shaped later decades, the same principle applies: the hands that build will always invite the stones of envy, even from within their own families. Senator Akpabio stands in that lineage of nation builders who have chosen the difficult path of service over applause. The attempt to malign his reputation through fabricated allegations has only refined his public image, revealing the steel beneath the smile. What was meant to be a wound has strengthened him. What was designed to divide has instead united both his family and a wider circle of admirers who see through the fog of falsehood.

To understand the hollowness of the attacks, one must return to the beginning. His character was not forged in the vanity of politics but moulded in the discipline of a God-fearing home. The Greater Akpabio Family of Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim, nurtured in him from childhood the virtues of kindness, respect, and a strong aversion to violence. These are not borrowed principles but the moral roots of his existence. The family’s recent statement reaffirmed what the nation already knows: that Akpabio’s life has been guided by faith, integrity, and a sense of service to humanity. From son and student to Commissioner, governor, minister, and now Senate President, the same quiet strength runs through his story. His life is a continuous narrative of purpose and compassion. The caricature painted by detractors collapses under the weight of that reality.

In their carefully worded declaration, the Greater Akpabio Family condemned the actions of those spreading falsehood and reaffirmed their unity and discipline as a family bound by respect and honour. They reminded Nigerians that this was not a matter for vengeance but one of principle. The family’s message was clear and unshaken: “Any attack on Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON is an attack on us.” That single line, calm and deliberate, turned a personal smear campaign into a collective stand for truth. The family spoke not merely for kinship but for values, faith, order, and unity, that define their legacy and, by extension, the character of their most prominent son.

To be clear, the Akpabio journey is not an accident but of deliberate ascent. As Governor of Akwa Ibom State, he transformed what was once a sleepy corner of the Niger Delta into a beacon of infrastructure renewal and civic pride. As Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, he confronted decades of frustration and corruption with focus and will. As Senate President, he has brought calm, order, and renewed discipline to the National Assembly, guiding it in partnership with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards a season of national stability and reform. His leadership, measured and firm, speaks of a man who values results over rhetoric. His record is written not in slogans but in roads, hospitals, schools, and laws that continue to shape lives.

This moment, therefore, offers a mirror to Nigeria itself. On one side stands a man engaged in the difficult, often thankless business of governance. On the other, a chorus of distraction, disgruntled voices that echo not from conviction but from envy. The choice for the public is simple: to chase the noise or to stand by the substance. The family’s vote of confidence in him reflects the choice many Nigerians have already made, to side with the builders, not the breakers; the doers, not the destroyers.

In every generation, there arises a leader whose trials become their teacher. For Senator Akpabio, adversity has always been a forge, not a fetter. From his earliest days in public life, his philosophy has been constant: that strength is born of struggle and that faith, when tested, yields endurance. His calm demeanour in the face of provocation reveals a leader who understands that true authority is not loud but steady, not reactive but grounded. Without an iota of doubt, when he chooses silence over outrage, it is not a weakness. It is wisdom, the wisdom of one who knows that truth does not need to shout.

His family’s declaration carried a profound message that transcends the moment: that greatness must be protected not with bitterness but with dignity. They reminded Nigerians that their son’s patriotism and discipline have been consistent hallmarks of his life. They reaffirmed his aversion to violence, his faith in God, and his unwavering service to family, state, and nation. This statement, emerging from the heart of Ukana Ikot Ntuen, is a national affirmation of character. It symbolises what every Nigerian family should aspire to: unity, discipline, and the courage to stand for what is right even when malice roams free.

The question is never whether a leader will face adversity. It is always a question of when. Adversity, for the true leader, is a refining fire. It purifies, clarifies, and dignifies. Senator Akpabio’s life embodies this truth. He has faced storms before, political intrigues, false accusations, and bitter envy, and each time, he has emerged stronger. The same grace that carried him through those trials sustains him now. Like fine steel shaped by fire, his spirit grows only more resolute.

As Nigeria navigates its own complex season of renewal under President Tinubu, leaders like Akpabio stand as pillars of steadiness. His focus on legislative order, national cohesion, and collaboration between the arms of government reflects his understanding that progress is built, not decreed. He represents the quiet strength of leadership that seeks to heal rather than divide, to build rather than destroy.

So let the noise rage, as it surely will. In the end, it will recede like waves retreating from a rock they could not erode. What will remain is the enduring image of a man who met adversity with calm, who answered malice with composure, and who transformed personal attack into public inspiration. His faith in God, his loyalty to family, and his belief in Nigeria’s promise remain unbroken.

There is no doubt whatsoever that history will not remember the noise. It will remember the work. It will recall the man who stood firm when others faltered, who faced fire, and emerged refined. In that enduring record of service and courage, Senator Godswill Akpabio will stand not as a man untested, but as one proven by the very trials that sought to break him. His leadership endures because it is rooted in conviction, tempered by faith, and guided by an unshakeable belief in the better angels of our nation’s destiny.

Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh
Special Adviser, Media/Publicity and official Spokesperson to the President of the Senate