Did Donald Trump Promise to Free Biafra From Nigeria? 

trA viral claim has taken social media by storm, suggesting that Donald Trump, the newly re-elected U.S. President, has vowed to intervene in Nigeria and push for the independence of Biafra. 

The post, which has been widely shared on Facebook, includes a video where Trump allegedly speaks about liberating the Igbo people from Nigeria’s control. But how true is this claim?

The viral video and its allegations

On February 11, 2025, a Facebook user, Olivercan Ezeigwe, posted a video with a caption claiming that President Trump had begun taking steps to support the secessionist movement in Nigeria. The video suggests that Trump promised to focus on Nigeria’s Biafra situation once he was done dealing with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

In the clip, a voice attributed to Trump is heard saying:

“These people have suffered in the hands of the northern Muslim-dominated folks who continue ripping the natural resources of southern Nigeria, mainly the people of the United States of Biafra and Nnamdi Kanu. The Biafran leader should be released immediately.”

The video quickly gained traction, racking up hundreds of thousands of views and reactions. Many people, particularly supporters of the Biafra movement, believed it to be real.

Fact-checking the claim

Given the sensitivity of the topic and the impact of such a statement, fact-checkers took a closer look at the video to determine its authenticity. A media platform, Dubawa, analyzed the footage using Deepware, a video analysis tool designed to detect manipulation.

The results? The video was found to be 82% altered, meaning it had been digitally manipulated to spread misinformation. There was no official record of Donald Trump making such a statement, nor has the U.S. government issued any policy regarding Biafra’s independence.

Additionally, Trump has never publicly addressed the Biafran struggle in such direct terms, making it unlikely that he suddenly decided to take up the cause.

Why do such claims go viral?

The Biafra movement remains a deeply emotional issue, particularly for many Igbos who believe they have been marginalized in Nigeria’s political and economic structure. Over the years, various unverified claims have surfaced, often giving false hope to those who support the movement.

Social media has made it easy for misinformation to spread, especially when people share content without verifying its authenticity. This latest claim about Trump appears to be another case of manipulated content designed to fuel sentiments.

The reality of U.S. foreign policy on Biafra

While the United States has occasionally commented on human rights concerns in Nigeria, it has never actively supported Biafra’s secession. U.S. foreign policy generally promotes Nigeria’s territorial integrity, and no American president—past or present—has openly endorsed breaking up the country.

The viral claim that Donald Trump vowed to free Igbos from Nigeria is false. The video was doctored, and there is no evidence to support the statement.