A statement claiming that President Bola Tinubu held a telephone call with United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump over alleged killings of Christians in Nigeria has been confirmed is FALSE.
Findings by EKO HOT BLOG reveal that the fabricated message, which began circulating across social media platforms on Friday morning, does not originate from any official source in Nigeria or the U.S.
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The viral text, styled as a presidential address, opened with the words: “Fellow Compatriots, I greet you all. I have just concluded a constructive and candid discussion with President Donald Trump regarding the recent diplomatic tensions.” It went on to attribute to President Tinubu a supposed declaration that Nigeria and the U.S. had “agreed that our shared priority is peace over conflict, hope over fear, and unity over division.”
However, checks show that neither the Nigerian Presidency nor any U.S. government office has issued a statement confirming that such a call took place. The alleged message is absent from official communication channels, including the State House website, verified government social media accounts, and credible news outlets.
The misinformation surfaced amid heightened diplomatic tension following Donald Trump’s recent comments threatening punitive action against Nigeria over what he described as “mass slaughter of Christians.”
Last Friday, November 1, Trump announced that the U.S. had placed Nigeria on its “Country of Particular Concern” list for alleged religious persecution and warned that his administration might “go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
The Nigerian government swiftly rejected Trump’s rhetoric, describing his remarks as an inaccurate portrayal of the country’s security situation. Presidential aides and cabinet officials maintained that Nigeria remains a sovereign state committed to religious freedom and cooperation with the United States on counter-terrorism and regional security.
Officially, President Tinubu has yet to speak directly with Trump on the issue. According to the Presidency, Nigeria is focused on addressing internal security challenges and strengthening diplomatic engagement through proper channels. Information Minister Mohammed Idris, speaking after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting, said the government is “responding to the genuine concerns raised” by Washington but will “not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty or unity.”
On Thursday, the Nigerian president also expressed confidence that Nigeria would “overcome” insecurity and work to eliminate terrorism. He described Nigeria as a united “family” and said his government will “take every step necessary” to establish peace.
The fake statement, which claimed that Tinubu and Trump had reaffirmed their “commitment to strengthening the enduring diplomatic relations between our two nations,” has been widely shared by unsuspecting social media users and several fringe platforms.
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As of Friday afternoon, no credible evidence supports the claim that President Tinubu and Donald Trump have spoken by phone. Both governments continue to rely on official diplomatic communication, not viral social media messages, to manage relations between the two countries.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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