A coalition of South-Eastern Nigerians based in the United States has announced plans to hold a mass protest in Washington, D.C., opposing the visit of a Nigerian government delegation reportedly traveling to “polish Nigeria’s image” abroad.
The announcement was made on Monday by Comrade Emma Powerful, spokesperson for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The group described the planned demonstration as a peaceful but firm expression of dissent, aimed at drawing international attention to alleged human rights abuses and ethnic violence in Nigeria.
According to the statement, the protesters seek to challenge what they describe as an attempt by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to “deceive the international community into believing that peace and justice prevail in Nigeria,” despite reports of insecurity and religiously motivated violence.
“We will not allow a government accused of ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and mass killings to rewrite the narrative while the victims are still suffering,” Powerful said.
The statement further noted that the demonstration would be nonviolent and inclusive, calling on Biafrans, Yoruba Nation supporters, Middle Belt groups, and other diaspora communities to participate.
“This is not a call for confrontation but a peaceful, unstoppable display of conscience. Bring your voice, your flag, and your courage,” the group urged.
Powerful added that details of the protest’s date and location would be released soon, emphasizing that “no diplomatic effort can erase the reality of mass graves and displacement across Nigeria.”
The planned protest follows growing international debate surrounding claims of targeted violence against Christian and minority communities in Nigeria.
Last week, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Nigeria had been redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern under U.S. foreign policy guidelines, citing alleged persecution of Christians.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that “radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
Trump also suggested that military action could be considered if the Nigerian government failed to stop the killings, stating that the United States might “go in guns blazing” to protect religious communities.
The Nigerian government has strongly denied allegations of genocide or targeted religious persecution.
President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and equal protection under the law for all citizens.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said, adding that his administration “continues to engage Christian and Muslim leaders alike to address security challenges affecting all Nigerians.”
Tinubu further described the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant as “a mischaracterisation that does not reflect the nation’s diversity or the government’s ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence.”
The Washington protest, once scheduled, is expected to draw participation from multiple diaspora groups and human rights organizations. Observers note that the development underscores continuing tensions between diaspora advocacy movements and the Nigerian government over the country’s human rights and governance record.
