The Presidency has dismissed reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to travel to the United States to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
The denial followed published stories suggesting that Tinubu would travel to Washington for “top-level diplomatic engagements” days after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military intervention over alleged Christian persecution.
Trump had warned in a post on his social media account that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the Nigerian government failed to stop the alleged killing of Christians.
In a statement released on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described the report as “false and misleading,” insisting that no such trip has been planned or discussed.
Ajayi, who made the clarification via his official X handle, said the story, which originated from an online platform, was designed to mislead the public and fuel unnecessary speculation.
“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,” Ajayi wrote. “If President Tinubu were to visit the White House, he would be meeting with President Donald Trump, not the Vice President.”
Meanwhile, President Tinubu over the weekend denied any claims of a “Christian genocide,” reaffirming that Nigeria remains a democracy committed to religious freedom and equality for all citizens.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said. “Our administration continues to engage religious leaders across faiths to promote peace and address security challenges affecting citizens nationwide.”
The President further described the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant as “misleading and unreflective” of the nation’s diversity and commitment to unity.
He assured Nigerians and the international community that his administration remains committed to working with global partners, including the United States, to strengthen cooperation on the protection of all faith communities.
