Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organization, has disowned a widely shared social media post that was falsely attributed to her and criticized 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 prioritizing rhetoric over decisive action against banditry and insurgency, and that the former Minister of Finance urged Tinubu to “stop the damage control speeches” and “secure the people.”
The WTO chief responded on Saturday via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.
She said that legal action was being taken against individuals responsible for the impersonation and advised the public not to believe or spread the fake information.
“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 also denounced the impersonation and called on the perpetrators to accept accountability rather than conceal their identities.
“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 response coincided with fresh controversy surrounding remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Christians were being targeted in Nigeria.
Trump warned on his Truth Social platform that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the alleged killings persisted.
The statement received a lot of backlash and prompted President Tinubu and the Nigerian government to formally respond, reiterating Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and religious freedom.
Tinubu emphasized in a post on his X handle that his administration actively interacts with leaders of all faiths to promote peace and security, adding that the Nigerian Constitution ensures freedom of religion.
Tinubu denounced international depictions of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant society, calling them false and at odds with the nation’s unity and diversity.
The president reiterated Nigeria’s position, stating that religious tolerance “has been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
In order to promote mutual understanding and safeguard communities of all religions, he also promised to keep collaborating with the US and other international allies.
But on Wednesday night, Trump reaffirmed that if the purported persecution of Christians in Nigeria continues, he is prepared to take direct action.
The United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” he continued, adding that his government would be “ready, willing, and able to protect our great Christian population around the world.”
Additionally, Trump asked Congressmen Riley Moore, Tom Cole, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and others to look into the matter and report back to him.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
