Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has disowned a widely circulated social media message falsely attributed to her, which allegedly criticised President Bola Tinubu over Nigeria’s security situation.

The post, titled “Trump didn’t ‘hit’ us – our leaders did”, went viral on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, claiming that Okonjo-Iweala blamed Nigerian leaders for failing to tackle banditry and terrorism.

In a statement on Saturday via her verified X account, Okonjo-Iweala described the message as “fake, malicious, and deliberately misleading,” warning that legal and administrative action is underway to identify the culprits.

“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 said.

The fabricated post surfaced amid online debate following  U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Christians in Nigeria face an “existential threat,” which Tinubu’s administration and the Nigerian government have dismissed as false.

Okonjo-Iweala emphasised that she made no statements concerning Trump, insecurity, or the Tinubu administration, and that efforts are ongoing to prevent further impersonation.