The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said his official trip to the U.S. was fruitful and successful in spite of deliberate and sponsored fake news by detractors.
The minister said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) before he departed Washington, DC, for Lagos.
NAN reports that the minister was in the U.S. to engage with international media organisations and think-tanks on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the efforts made so far in tackling insurgency, banditry and all forms of criminality.
“We had a very hectic three-day engagement in Washington, DC, and I am very satisfied with the outcome of the engagements.
“We have been able to achieve our objective which is to come and tell our own stories, to give an account of our stewardship to the global media and think-tanks and I am very glad that we met both,’’ he said
The minister said contrary to a fake online report, he did not sneak out of the country and his mission to the U.S. was never to meet with Twitter officials and he never did.
NAN reports that the minister had described as “fake and irresponsible’’ the media report that he “sneaked out of Nigeria to meet with Twitter executive.
“On Wednesday, August 18, we had interview session with the BBC Radio and Television, Bloomberg and Politico, a U.S. based journalism company that covers politics and policy in the U.S. and internationally.
“We opened our programme on Thursday with interview with Reuters, followed by Washington Post and another (live) interview with Bloomberg Quicktake.
“On Friday, we had interview session with VOA Radio and TV, and met with Dr Peter Pham, a Fellow of the Atlantic Council, a think-tank, and former President Trump’s Special Envoy to the great Lake Region of Africa.
