Okonjo-Iweala Debunks Social Media Post Condemning Tinubu

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has disassociated herself from a viral social media post falsely attributed to her that criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity in Nigeria.

Posting via her verified X account on Saturday, Okonjo-Iweala described the message as “fake and malicious,” emphasising that it did not originate from her. She warned the public against believing or sharing the false information and disclosed that legal measures are being pursued against those responsible.

“Beware, this story going around on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook is false! We are taking action! The person who did this could not even spell my name,” she wrote.

The post in question, titled “Trump didn’t ‘hit’ us – our leaders did,” claimed that Okonjo-Iweala accused Nigerian leaders of prioritizing rhetoric over decisive action against banditry and insurgency. It further alleged that the former Minister of Finance urged President Tinubu to “stop the damage control speeches” and “secure the people.”

Condemning the impersonation, Okonjo-Iweala said, “Whichever coward did this should write the message in their own name and not hide behind mine or anyone else’s! Scammers and 419ers, stop!”

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Her clarification comes amid renewed international scrutiny following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who alleged that Christians were being targeted in Nigeria and warned on his Truth Social platform that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the alleged killings continued.

Reacting to Trump’s claims, President Tinubu, in a post on X, highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and affirmed that his administration actively engages leaders of all faiths to promote peace and security.

He rejected portrayals of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant nation, describing them as inaccurate and inconsistent with the country’s diversity and unity.

Religious tolerance, he added, “has been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” while pledging to continue working with the United States and other global partners to deepen mutual understanding and safeguard communities of all faiths.