Director-General (DG) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has disowned a viral social media post falsely attributed to her, which criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity.
The post, titled ‘Trump didn’t “hit” us – our leaders did’, claimed that Okonjo-Iweala accused Nigerian leaders of prioritising rhetoric over decisive action against banditry and insurgency.
It also claimed that the former Minister of Finance urged Tinubu to ‘stop the damage control speeches’ and ‘secure the people’.
Reacting via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, the WTO chief described the message as fake and malicious, stressing that it did not originate from her.
She cautioned the public against believing or sharing the false information, adding that legal steps were being taken against those behind the impersonation.
‘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.
Okonjo-Iweala further condemned the impersonation and urged the culprits to take responsibility instead of hiding behind her identity.
‘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!’ she added.
Her reaction came amid renewed controversy over comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who alleged that Christians were being targeted in Nigeria.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that the United States might ‘go in guns blazing’ if the alleged killings continued.
The remark drew widespread criticism, prompting President Tinubu and the Nigerian government to issue a formal response reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and religious freedom.
In a post on his X handle, Tinubu emphasised that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that his administration actively engages leaders of all faiths to promote peace and security.
President Tinubu rejected foreign portrayals of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant nation, describing them as inaccurate and inconsistent with the country’s diversity and unity.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s stance, the President said religious tolerance ‘has been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so’.
He also pledged to continue working with the United States and other global partners to deepen mutual understanding and protect communities of all faiths.
On Wednesday evening, Trump reiterated his willingness to take direct action if the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria persists.
He added that the United States ‘cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening’, pledging that his administration would be ‘ready, willing and able to protect our great Christian population around the world’.
Trump also urged members of Congress to investigate the situation, directing Congressman Riley Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole and others to report back to him.
