Nigerian govt expels controversial American missionary Alex Barber

The Federal Government has deported American missionary Alex Barber following controversy over his activities in Nigeria’s North-central region.

Authorities accused Barber of making statements capable of inciting unrest and worsening divisions, particularly in Plateau State.

Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (North Central), confirmed the development during an interview with TVC on Monday, describing his actions as a threat to national unity.

“Yeah, so we’ve realised what Alex Barber has done, so I must inform that Alex Barber is no longer in Nigeria,” Mrs Essiet said.

“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 further linked his remarks to violence 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.”

Barber, a former American football player turned missionary, had been active in parts of Benue and Plateau States, where he participated in rebuilding communities affected by violence through initiatives such as Building Zion and Equipping the Persecuted (ETP).

He gained attention for supporting displaced persons, constructing homes, and providing basic infrastructure in affected communities.

However, his public comments on the crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt drew criticism from some stakeholders, who accused him of presenting the conflict in a way that could heighten religious and ethnic tensions.

Critics also questioned his repeated claims that the violence in the region was coordinated, warning that such narratives could misrepresent a complex situation involving multiple factors.

Despite the backlash, supporters defended his interventions, arguing that he helped draw global attention to communities affected by persistent attacks.

The government maintained that his removal was necessary to prevent further division and safeguard public peace.

Drawing comparisons with past global conflicts, Mrs Essiet warned against allowing narratives that could deepen fault lines within Nigeria.

“That’s what the government has done, because we don’t want individuals to come and create division,” she said.

“I’ve been to Rwanda a couple of times; I’ve been to the Rwandan Genocide Memorial. As simple as this whole narrative of what Alex Barber was saying is what some foreign actors did in Rwanda, creating a rift between the Hutus and the Tutsis, and that led to a massive genocide.”

“Based on our experience, we don’t want Nigeria to follow that path, because it’s not going to be helpful to anyone,” she added. “We must not allow people who do not understand the history of our crises to divide us.”

Barber, however, rejected the allegations linking his statements to violence.

“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.”