By Kingston Magare 7.4.2026
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has deported American missionary, Alex Barbir, for allegedly making inflammatory statements capable of causing violence in the country.
According to Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (North Central), Mr. Barbir’s activities were beginning to affect national unity, most especially in Plateau State.
“Yeah, so we’ve realised what Alex Barber has done, so I must inform that Alex Barber is no longer in Nigeria,” Ms Essiet said during an interview.
“He has been, we can say, removed and sent out of the country because of the work he’s doing, which is creating division.”
She said that some of Barbir’s statements recently lead to riot in Jos.
“Immediately after he made his speech in Jos, a lot of people didn’t know that two people, two Muslims, were killed immediately after his speech,” she said.
“Because of the impact of this provocative speech, which he has been making, he was sent out of the country and is no longer in Nigeria.”
Barbir himself responded to criticisms in a video: “They haven’t talked about me rebuilding villages… but when I speak out… then all of a sudden [they react],” he said.
He also rejected claims that his statements caused violence. In a post on his social media page, he said: “Let it be known that if Abiodun Essiet… made this statement, they are directly lying to the Nigerian and international community. I’ve never heard of this person, nor had conversation with them.”