The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has categorically refuted recent media reports claiming that the Nigerian president is set to travel to the United States on Tuesday to meet US Vice President J.D. Vance. Ajayi described these reports as “false and misleading,” noting they have sparked unnecessary speculation and uninformed commentary.
In a post on his official X handle on Monday, Ajayi clarified, “There’s a Sahara Reporters story that President Tinubu is going to the U.S. on Tuesday to see U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. That story is not true. I can see that the fake news by Sahara has become the basis for some uninformed commentaries since yesterday.” He added emphatically that “If President Tinubu is going to the White House, he won’t be going to see a Vice President.”
”The controversy follows heightened international focus on Nigeria amid allegations of persecution of Christians within the country and a highly charged statement from former US President Donald Trump. Trump warned on his Truth social media platform that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the Nigerian government fails to halt what he described as the killing of Christians by Islamic terrorists. Trump wrote, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Responding to these claims, President Tinubu issued a statement via his X account reaffirming the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom in Nigeria and denying any ongoing ‘Christian genocide’.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said. Further emphasizing that his administration has maintained “open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike” since 2023, working collaboratively to address security challenges impacting all citizens regardless of faith or region.
He criticized external narratives labeling Nigeria as religiously intolerant, calling such depictions inaccurate and unreflective of Nigeria’s diversity and commitment to peaceful coexistence. “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” Tinubu stated.
He reiterated that “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths,” he affirmed.
This clarification from the Nigerian presidency comes amid conflicting reports and diplomatic tensions as conversations reportedly continue between the Nigerian government and the US administration, with no confirmed face-to-face meetings currently scheduled. Some sources suggest that the Nigerian president might attend the upcoming G-20 Summit in South Africa, presenting a future opportunity for dialogue with US counterparts.
The presidency’s firm rebuttal of the US visit rumor and the measured response to international concerns highlight the sensitivity surrounding Nigeria’s religious and security challenges on the global stage. The administration continues to emphasize constitutional protections and ongoing engagement with all faith communities as pillars of its governance approach.
