The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has cautioned Nigerians against lending support to foreign narratives depicting the country as unsafe or divided along religious lines.
The agency’s Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, gave the warning on Wednesday during the 2025 Press Week organised by the News Agency of Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja.
He noted that such divisive portrayals could drive Nigeria into turmoil similar to the crises that engulfed Iraq and Libya.
“Nobody takes Senator Ted Cruz seriously. I do not see any respect, dignity or integrity around him ever.
“Any Nigerian who is also pushing such narrative should have a rethink. He should read about what happened to Libya. He should read about what happened to Iraq.
“With the cry and propaganda about weapons of mass destruction, till today, they have all come out to apologise that there was nothing like that. But where is Iraq today? We should be careful,” the NOA boss said.
Issa-Onilu urged journalists to guard against being used as instruments of division, stressing that information warfare has become one of the strongest weapons used to weaken national unity and sovereignty.
