LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- In a firm rebuttal to mounting online misinformation, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has disowned a viral social media post falsely attributed to her that attacked President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity across Nigeria.
The fabricated message, which circulated widely on WhatsApp and Facebook under the headline “Trump didn’t ‘hit’ us , our leaders did,” claimed Okonjo-Iweala accused Tinubu of relying on “damage control speeches” instead of taking decisive action against banditry and insurgency.
Taking to her verified X account on Saturday, Okonjo-Iweala condemned the post as “fake and malicious,” stressing that it did not originate from her.
“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 WTO chief, a former Nigerian Finance Minister, said legal measures were underway against those responsible for the impersonation. She also called out the perpetrators, urging them to “own their words instead of hiding behind her name.”
READ ALSO:Why I Posted Tinubu’s Picture Late — Okonjo-Iweala
“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 declared.
Okonjo-Iweala’s reaction comes amid a politically charged debate over comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria and warned that America might “go in guns blazing” if the alleged attacks continued.
The remark sparked global controversy, prompting swift responses from President Tinubu and Nigerian officials, who reaffirmed the country’s commitment to democracy and religious freedom.
Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and described foreign portrayals of the nation as “religiously intolerant” as false and inconsistent with its diverse identity.
Despite Tinubu’s assurances, Trump doubled down on his statements during a midweek post on his Truth Social platform, vowing to defend Christians “around the world” and urging U.S. lawmakers to investigate alleged persecution in Nigeria.
Amid this storm of political rhetoric and disinformation, Okonjo-Iweala’s swift denial underscores growing concerns over fake news being weaponised to fuel division within Nigeria’s already tense political climate.
Meanwhile, Nigeria navigates both internal insecurity and international scrutiny. Okonjo-Iweala’s sharp dismissal of the forged statement highlights a broader struggle of misinformation becoming as dangerous as the issues it pretends to expose.
