Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has distanced herself from a viral social media post that falsely claimed she criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity in Nigeria.
The post, titled “Trump didn’t ‘hit’ us – our leaders did,” circulated widely on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the former Finance Minister accused Nigerian leaders of “talking more than acting” on security challenges.
In the fake message, the impersonator urged President Tinubu to “stop the damage control speeches” and “secure the people,” presenting it as a quote from the WTO chief.
But Okonjo-Iweala, reacting via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, said the message was fake, malicious, and poorly written.
“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 boss said her team was already taking legal steps against those behind the impersonation and warned Nigerians to stop spreading false information.
“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.
Background
Okonjo-Iweala’s rebuttal came amid renewed online debate over comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who alleged that Christians are being targeted in Nigeria.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that the U.S. might “go in guns blazing” if the alleged killings continue; remarks that drew sharp criticism at home and abroad.
President Bola Tinubu swiftly responded, rejecting what he called “foreign portrayals of Nigeria as intolerant.” He restated that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and that his administration is working closely with religious leaders to sustain peace and unity.
Tinubu said, “Religious tolerance has been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
Despite the official response, Trump doubled down midweek, saying the U.S. “cannot stand by” if persecution of Christians persists, and called on Congress to investigate.
