Truth Now Speaking For Itself – Bwala On Reports IPOB Behind Genocide Claims

The Presidency has doubled down on its stance that the controversial narrative of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria was a fabricated story orchestrated by elements linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This comes in the wake of a recent investigative report by The New York Times, which has sparked heated debates across the country and beyond.

In a statement shared on his official X handle on Tuesday, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, hailed the emergence of what he called “stubborn facts” that vindicate the government’s position. Bwala recalled his earlier warnings about the hoax, dating back to August 2025.

“I said it early, and I said it clearly. In August 2025, during my first interview on TVC, I warned that the so-called ‘Christian Genocide’ narrative was a deliberate hoax, pushed by IPOB,” Bwala stated. “This was long before my media engagements and advocacy tours across the US, France, and the UK, where I consistently presented facts to counter misinformation being fed to the international community.”

The New York Times report, published on January 18, 2026, delved into how unverified claims from Emeka Umeagbalasi, a trader and founder of the Onitsha-based NGO International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), influenced U.S. policymakers. The article accused Umeagbalasi of relying on unverified data, including internet-sourced figures claiming 125,000 Christian deaths since 2009 and the destruction of 20,000 churches. These claims reportedly played a role in convincing U.S. senators, congressmen, and former President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations.

“Today, the truth is speaking for itself. The New York Times has traced this false narrative to claims linked to Emeka Umeagbalasi, exposing how conjecture and bias were amplified as ‘reports.’ Facts are stubborn,” Bwala added. He emphasized that these exaggerated narratives formed the basis for the U.S. designation and subsequent actions, including Christmas Day 2025 airstrikes on alleged Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State.

The airstrikes, ordered by Trump to combat what he described as a “Christian genocide” led by Islamist terrorists, involved over a dozen Tomahawk missiles fired from a U.S. Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea. While the strikes targeted ISIS camps, they have fueled fears among local Muslim communities in rural Nigeria, with reports of craters and debris from the attacks. Analysts have long argued that violence in Nigeria, including kidnappings and attacks, affects both Christians and Muslims, with no clear evidence of disproportionate targeting of Christians.

However, Intersociety has fiercely contested the NYT report, accusing the newspaper of falsifying details. In a statement, the NGO claimed that Umeagbalasi’s data on Christian persecution was verified and that the report misrepresented his methods. “The New York Times said Emeka Umeagbalasi admitted that he ‘often does not verify his data,’ but this is a falsification,” Intersociety stated, defending their documentation of over 125,000 Christian deaths as based on credible sources.

The controversy has ignited reactions on social media and beyond. Some Nigerians, like X user @dele003, praised Bwala for “dismantling the IPOB propaganda machine from the start,” while others criticized him for downplaying security issues. For instance, @benitokez accused Bwala of hypocrisy, noting that the adviser, from Borno State, cannot safely visit his own village due to ongoing terrorism.

Bwala, in earlier interviews, including on Sky News and Russian TV, has consistently described Nigeria’s security challenges as involving criminal gangs exploiting ungoverned spaces, rather than a targeted religious genocide. He highlighted President Tinubu’s efforts, such as intensified military operations, intelligence sharing with the U.S., and collaboration with state governors to disrupt banditry and terrorism.

The U.S. designation of Nigeria as a CPC has strained relations, but recent dialogues, including a visit by a U.S. congressional delegation led by Rep. Riley Moore, have shown progress. Moore noted positive steps, such as the rescue of 100 Catholic schoolchildren and the establishment of a joint U.S.-Nigeria task force.

As debates rage, the Presidency maintains that propaganda from groups like IPOB has misled the international community, urging Nigerians to focus on unity and factual reporting. “Propaganda may travel fast, but truth always catches up,” Bwala concluded.