Abuja, NIGERIA – The President Bola Tinubu-led administration has officially confirmed the expulsion of an American missionary, Alex Barber, over allegations of making inciting statements capable of deepening divisions and fueling violence in Plateau State.
Okay News gathered that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Essiet, disclosed the development during a television interview on Monday. She stated that Barber’s activities posed a severe threat to national unity, alleging that his provocative speech in Jos had immediate consequences, leading to the retaliatory killings of two Muslims shortly after his remarks.
Drawing stark parallels to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Essiet emphasized that the government acted swiftly to prevent divisive narratives from taking root. She appealed for public trust in President Tinubu’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in the region and called for a decisive “kinetic approach” by security agencies to deal with terrorists and bandits infiltrating local communities.
The expulsion comes amid heightened international scrutiny over the security crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Prior to his removal, Barber had released a viral video characterizing recent killings in Jos as a “genocide against Christians.” This narrative was echoed by United States lawmaker Riley Moore, who recently condemned the reported killings of Christians on Palm Sunday and warned that continued attacks could strain US-Nigeria diplomatic ties.
Despite the diplomatic friction surrounding the incident, US defense officials have confirmed that bilateral security cooperation remains active. The US is currently supporting Nigerian counterterrorism operations with intelligence and training, including the deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones and approximately 200 military personnel.
