Nigeria's senate president Akpabio didn't say president Trump should focus on US or 'Nigerians aren't complaining about killings'
IN SHORT: According to several Facebook posts, Nigeria's senate president Godswill Akpabio told US president Donald Trump to focus on the US instead of Nigeria. But the state attributed to Akpabio has been fabricated.
US President Donald Trump has labelled Nigeria a "country of particular concern", citing alleged attacks on Christian communities.
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A "country of particular concern" is a designation of a nation engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under the US's International Religious Freedom Act.
While there have been reports of attacks on Christians and members of other religious groups in Nigeria, Trump has provided no proof for any of his claims.
In response, the Nigerian government has maintained that the country's security challenges affect both Christians and Muslims, emphasising that the constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens.
In this context, several Facebook posts claim that senate president Godswill Akpabio has criticised Trump, saying he should focus on issues in the US, as Nigerians are not complaining about the situation in their country.
Akpabio holds the third-highest political office after the president and vice president.
The quote attributed to Akpabio reads: "Breaking News!! The killing Is Taking Place In Nigeria Not In USA, Trump Should Focus On US. Nigerians Are Not Complaining About The Killings, We Are Fully Satisfied With The Condition Of Nigeria."
The same claim appears here, here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But did Akpabio really say this? We checked.
Fake news
Given that the Nigerian government has already issued an official statement in response to Trump's claims, it would have been unusual for Akpabio to make his own remarks on the issue.
Nevertheless, Africa Check searched for the alleged quote on Akpabio's verified social media platforms, where he regularly shares updates about his activities, and came up empty.
On 3 November 2025, Jackson Udom, Akpabio's aide, dismissed the claim on Facebook.
Udom wrote:
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Our attention has been drawn to a malicious and completely fabricated post published by a platform called Rant HQ, falsely attributing a reckless and imaginary statement to the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON. The post - which reads, 'The killing is taking place in Nigeria not in USA, Trump should focus on US. Nigerians are not complaining about the killings, we are fully satisfied with the condition of Nigeria' - is a total falsehood, a product of mischief, and a desperate attempt to incite misunderstanding between Senator Godswill Akpabio and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as between Nigeria and its international partners. For the avoidance of doubt, the Senate President never made such a statement -- not publicly, privately, in writing, or in conversation. We challenge the publishers of this falsehood to produce a single shred of evidence to the contrary.
The claim that Akpabio said Trump should concentrate on the US instead of Nigeria is untrue.
The fabricated quote also appeared here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
