Nigeria disowns fake letter to Liberia, launches probe

The Federal Government has disowned a letter circulating on social media and other online platforms, purportedly issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and addressed to the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Liberia, describing the document as fake, unauthorized and capable of creating diplomatic tension between both countries.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the letter, allegedly signed by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, did not emanate from the ministry or any official channel of the Federal Government.

The ministry said the forged correspondence purportedly addressed issues relating to statements attributed to a Nigerian religious leader and was falsely presented as an official communication to the Liberian government.

According to the ministry, the document should be regarded as a deliberate fabrication aimed at misleading the public and sowing unnecessary diplomatic discord between Nigeria and Liberia, two countries that have maintained longstanding bilateral relations.

“The Ministry wishes to categorically state that the said letter is fake, unauthorised, and did not emanate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or any official channel of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the statement said.

It added that an initial review of the purported correspondence revealed several inconsistencies with established diplomatic communication procedures and official protocols governing correspondence issued by the ministry.

The government therefore urged members of the public, media organisations, diplomatic stakeholders and social media users to disregard the document and avoid sharing unverified materials capable of spreading misinformation.

The ministry stressed that official diplomatic communications follow clearly defined procedures and channels, noting that the forged letter failed to conform to those standards.

The ministry disclosed that relevant authorities had been notified and security agencies were already investigating the source of the fraudulent publication.

It stated that appropriate measures were being taken to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for producing and circulating the fake correspondence.

The ministry further reassured the Government and people of the Republic of Liberia of Nigeria’s continued friendship and commitment to cordial bilateral relations, emphasizing that the forged letter does not reflect the position of the Federal Government.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, professionalism and responsible diplomatic engagement in the conduct of Nigeria’s foreign relations.

A statement signed by Kimiebi Ebienfa, ministry’s spokesperson, reiterated that the public should rely only on official government channels for information relating to Nigeria’s foreign policy and diplomatic engagements.