The Nigerian government has debunked claims that President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to travel to Washington for a closed-door meeting with United States Vice President J.D. Vance.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described the circulating reports as “false” and “misleading.”
The clarification follows widespread speculation that Tinubu was preparing for high-level diplomatic engagements in the U.S., amid global reactions to allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria and a recent online post attributed to former U.S. President Donald Trump threatening possible military action.
Ajayi stressed that if the Nigerian leader were to visit the White House, such a meeting would be held with the U.S. President, not the Vice President.
“There’s a 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,” Ajayi said. “If President Tinubu is going to the White House, he won’t be going to see a Vice President.”
Trump, in a recent post on his Truth Social account, threatened that the United States could “go in guns blazing” if Nigeria fails to halt alleged killings of Christians, warning that American support could be withdrawn.
The claims have since been dismissed by Nigerian authorities, who insist the Federal Government remains committed to tackling terrorism and violent extremism nationwide.
President Tinubu, also writing on X, said his administration is upholding constitutional guarantees on religious freedom and continues to engage religious leaders across faiths to promote peace and strengthen national security.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike, and continues to address security challenges that affect citizens across faiths and regions.”
