In Summary
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On June 8, a document circulated widely on social media claiming to be an official response from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Liberia regarding statements made by a Nigerian religious leader.
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However, a press release issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the purported letter is fake, unauthorized, and did not originate from the Ministry or any official channel of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the circulating letter is fraudulent and does not represent an official response from the Nigerian Government.
Following recent controversy surrounding statements made by Nigerian cleric Primate Elijah Ayodele about Liberia, a letter began circulating on social media purporting to be an official response from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Liberia.
The document was widely shared on Facebook as evidence that the Nigerian Government had formally responded to a diplomatic communication from Liberia.
Earlier, the Government of Liberia, through its Embassy in Abuja, had lodged an official complaint concerning a series of prophecies made by Ayodele about Liberia’s political and economic future, including warnings of hardship and alleged threats to the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
According to the Liberian Embassy’s communication to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Liberia expressed concern that the cleric’s public statements could create negative perceptions about Liberia, affect bilateral relations between Liberia and Nigeria, and undermine peace, stability, and democratic governance in the country.
The Claim
A document circulating on social media claims to be an official response from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Liberian Government regarding its complaint against Primate Elijah Ayodele.
Rating Justification
First, we verified the authenticity of the purported letter released on June 8 by reviewing key elements of the letter.Ā Our review of the purported letter allegedly issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed several indicators that cast doubt on its authenticity. The document employs language and framing that are atypical of formal diplomatic correspondence.
The document also contains notable formatting and procedural irregularities. The reference number appears generic, and the letter lacks several features commonly found in official diplomatic communications, including an official seal, authentication stamp, QR code, or other verification mechanisms. In addition, the signature block is unusually formatted and does not conform to standard diplomatic correspondence practices. The document further omits key protocol elements such as departmental identifiers, formal diplomatic salutations, distribution markings, and authentication details that would typically accompany official government communications.
As part of the verification process, searches were conducted for evidence that the document had been published or acknowledged through official Nigerian government channels or reported by credible media organizations. But no record of the letter was found on official government platforms, and no independent confirmation was identified from reputable news outlets.
Based on the available evidence, the document displays multiple red flags, including unusual diplomatic language, formatting inconsistencies, missing protocol elements, and a lack of independent verification.
Meanwhile, another communication was released on June 9 refuting the June 8 letter. TheĀ press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, identified as Press Release No. MFA/PR/2026/085.
To authenticate this press release, we checked the official communication channels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our review found that the press released was published on the official Instagram, X and Facebook pages of the Ministry. Our reviewed found that the press release is authentic and was issued by the Nigerian Foreign Ministry.
We then reviewed the press release. The press release drew the attention of the public, the diplomatic community, and the Government of Liberia to a fake letter allegedly signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
According to the release, the purported letter is fake and unauthorized and did not originate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any official channel of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Ministry further urged members of the public, media organizations, and stakeholders to disregard the document and refrain from circulating unverified information.
The statement also noted that relevant authorities had been notified and that efforts were underway to identify the source of the fraudulent document.
Conclusion
Based on a review of the press release issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and our analysis of the June 8 letter, we conclude that the widely circulated letter is fake and does not represent an official response from the Nigerian Government to the Republic of Liberia.
The Ministry has publicly disclaimed the document, describing it as fake, unauthorized, and inconsistent with established diplomatic communication procedures.
