Fact Check: Did President Trump Criticise President Tinubu Over Maiduguri Bombings?
By Daniel Otera
The Claim
A screenshot circulating on social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter) claims to show a post from United States President Donald Trump criticising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the recent terrorist attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State. The alleged post, attributed to @realDonaldTrump, reads:
“The situation in Nigeria is a TOTAL DISASTER. Massive, coordinated suicide bombings tonight in Maiduguri. A hospital, a major market, the post office all hit! Many innocent people killed. This is what happens when you have NO LEADERSHIP and open borders for terrorists! While his country is in a state of NATIONAL EMERGENCY, President Tinubu is currently in the UK on a ‘State Visit.’ Unbelievable! Shaking hands and having fancy dinners while his people are being blown up? I don’t think so! Prime Minister Starmer should tell him to get on a plane and GO HOME IMMEDIATELY. You don’t stay abroad during a crisis like this. A real leader is on the ground with the military and the people, not cutting ribbons in London. Nigeria is a great country with wonderful people, but they are being let down by a government that isn’t focused on STRENGTH and SECURITY. Close the borders, find the terrorists, and PROTECT YOUR CITIZENS. Everything else can wait. TRUTH!”
The screenshot suggests the post was made “2 Hours” ago from the time of capture.
Background
On Monday, 16 March 2026, coordinated suicide bomb attacks struck multiple locations in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. According to the Nigeria Police Force in Borno State, the explosions occurred at the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the Monday Market, and the Post Office area. The attacks happened shortly after the breaking of the Ramadan fast (Iftar) and claimed at least 23 lives, with 108 others injured.
These bombings represent one of the deadliest attacks on Maiduguri in recent years, attributed to insurgent groups linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press confirm the details.
President Tinubu had departed Abuja for a scheduled state visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 17 March 2026 the day after the attacks. The visit, planned for 18–19 March 2026, includes a meeting with King Charles III at the invitation of the British monarch.
The timing of the screenshot’s circulation is significant. It appeared shortly after news of the Maiduguri bombings spread across social media, coinciding with President Tinubu’s departure for the UK. This created a politically charged atmosphere where criticism of the President’s travel timing could gain traction.
The screenshot employs language and rhetorical patterns characteristic of Donald Trump’s social media style (use of capital letters for emphasis: “TOTAL DISASTER”, “NO LEADERSHIP”, “NATIONAL EMERGENCY”, “TRUTH”), direct criticism of foreign leadership, and references to border security and terrorism. This stylistic mimicry makes the fabrication more convincing to casual observers.
Verification
The GRACO Fact Check conducted a multi-step verification process to establish the authenticity of this claim. The GRACO searched Donald Trump’s verified Truth Social account (@realDonaldTrump) and other official White House communication channels for any post matching the screenshot’s content, timestamp, or tone. No such post was found on any verified Trump-affiliated account. The GRACO checked major international and Nigerian news outlets including Reuters, Associated Press, BBC, Punch Nigeria, Vanguard, and PM News for any reports of Trump commenting on the Maiduguri attacks or Tinubu’s UK visit. No credible news source reported any statement from the US President on this matter.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, publicly addressed the circulating screenshot on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. Dare labelled the post “Fake!!!” and shared the doctored image as part of the rebuttal.
The GRACO Fact Check noted that Trump’s actual recent posts on Truth Social focused on international sports, domestic US political commentary, NATO discussions, and geopolitical issues involving Iran not Nigeria or African security matters.
The GRACO Fact Check observed that the screenshot displays characteristics common to fabricated social media posts, including the convenient timing (“2 Hours ago”), the perfect alignment with current events, and the absence of engagement metrics (likes, reposts, replies) that would typically appear on an authentic viral post from a high-profile account.
Findings
The GRACO Fact Check found that the screenshot claiming Donald Trump criticised President Tinubu over the Maiduguri bombings and UK trip is fabricated. Specifically: No such post exists on Donald Trump’s verified Truth Social account (@realDonaldTrump) or any official White House communication platform. The Nigerian Presidency, through Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare, officially debunked the screenshot on 17 March 2026, describing it as “Fake!!!”.
While the Maiduguri bombings did occur on 16 March 2026 (killing 23 and injuring 108), and President Tinubu did depart for the UK on 17 March 2026, Donald Trump made no public statements regarding these events.
President Tinubu responded to the attacks by describing them as “profoundly upsetting” and the “final desperate and frantic attempts” by terrorists facing sustained pressure from Nigerian forces. He also directed security and intelligence chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to oversee operations.
VERDICT: FALSE.
CONCLUSION
The viral screenshot claiming that US President Donald Trump posted a message criticising President Bola Tinubu over the Maiduguri bombings and his UK state visit is FALSE. No such post exists on any verified Trump-affiliated account, and the Nigerian Presidency has officially debunked it. The screenshot is a fabricated image designed to exploit the timing of the Maiduguri attacks and President Tinubu’s foreign travel to create political controversy.