The social media is awashed with rage over a statement credited to one Alex Barbir, a US missionary, who threatened President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the recent killings in Jos .
Already, there’s a call for his arrest by former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad. Barbir , who shared a video where Barbir criticized President Tinubu, accusing the government of inaction against insecurity.
Ahmad alleges Barbir’s actions could incite unrest and has asked authorities to investigate and apprehend him if necessary.
Barbir’s video highlighted the Plateau State attack, saying “You can no longer deny genocide. They are being slaughtered, and you say there is no issue?”
He’s known for humanitarian work, rebuilding homes for victims of attacks in Benue State.
According to peace advocate Mustapha Gembu, Barbir entered Nigeria under the guise of providing humanitarian assistance to IDPs in Benue and Plateau states but has since been inciting Christians against Muslims and promoting anti-Fulani narratives. He was reportedly seen with Plateau-based warmonger Ezekiel Dachomo.
Since this man arrived in Plateau State with the Bible under the claim of missionary work, insecurity in the region appears to have worsened, with repeated reports of killings and violence. Many people are now raising serious concerns about his true mission and associations.
There are growing suspicions that his activities may not be as innocent as they are being presented, especially given his reported closeness to a self-acclaimed pastor notorious criminal and alleged gang leader. This naturally raises questions about trust, intent, and possible hidden motives.
The Nigerian government and relevant security agencies should thoroughly investigate him and his activities to determine whether there is any connection between his presence and the worsening insecurity in the state. Matters of national peace, security, and religious sensitivity must be handled with seriousness, caution, and transparency.
Gembu warned that just hours after Barbir incited Christians in Jos, violence erupted in the Rukuba area, resulting in the deaths of over 14 people. He questioned Barbir’s true motives, noting his unusual appearance and behaviour, and cautioned that such foreign agents aim to ignite religious war in Nigeria before disappearing, leaving Nigerians to fight among themselves.
Gembu called on the Nigerian government to immediately investigate Barbir and his local associates, arrest and prosecute him if found culpable, or deport him permanently to prevent further destabilisation.
“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians. No foreign agent should be allowed to walk into this country and set it on fire,” he stated.
The revelation has sparked fresh concerns about foreign interference in Nigeria’s internal security and religious harmony. Security agencies are yet to comment on the matter.
Alex Daniel Barbir was born on August 17, 1997, in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was raised in Cumming, Georgia, alongside his brother, Josh Barbir, who significantly influenced Alex’s later career path. Josh is a high achieving professional in his own right, serving as a Captain and Medical Officer in the United States Army Reserve while practicing as a physician in Florida.
Alex first made a name for himself as a standout athlete at South Forsyth High School. Known for his powerful 5’9, 200 pound frame, he was far more athletic than the typical American football kicker.
His college career began with high expectations when he initially committed to Rutgers University, only to perform a high profile flip to join the Penn State Nittany Lions, one of the most elite programs in American college football.
However, a severe hip injury a torn labrum that required surgery derailed his progress and left him disillusioned with the high pressure environment of big time sports. Feeling spiritually and physically drained, Alex quit football entirely in 2018 and transferred to Liberty University as a private citizen.
He intended to leave sports behind forever, focusing instead on his education and his faith, eventually enrolling in the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) to follow his brother’s path into medicine.
The trajectory of his life changed again in 2020 when a sudden opening on the Liberty football team led him to attempt a fairytale comeback. On November 7, 2020, Alex secured his place in American sports history by kicking a 51-yard, game-winning field goal to defeat Virginia Tech, marking the greatest victory in his school’s history. This moment of national fame provided him with the platform he needed to launch his next chapter.
Leveraging his reputation as a miracle athlete and a physician, Alex transitioned into the humanitarian sector. He founded his own brand, Building Zion, but he primarily operates under the logistical and financial umbrella of Equipping the Persecuted (ETP), an American NGO led by Judd Saul. ETP provides the infrastructure, specialized security equipment, and global fundraising reach that allows Alex to conduct boots on the ground operations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
However, his mission in Nigeria has become a source of deep controversy and is viewed as a strategic deception designed to sow national division. While Alex presents himself to Western audiences as a humanitarian doctor rebuilding destroyed villages, his methods are highly provocative.
He is frequently seen in viral videos using religious scripture to frame complex territorial and resource conflicts as a Holy War. By pushing a narrative of state sponsored genocide against Christians, he directly challenges the authority of the President and the Nigerian State. His rhetoric often tells grieving communities that their government is slaughtering them or doing absolutely nothing, a tactic that undermines the trust between citizens and state security agencies.
Alex’s work is defined by selective outrage. While he highlights the suffering of one group to drive international donations and boost his image in America, he remains silent on the thousands of Muslims also slaughtered by the same terrorists in mosques and villages.
By simplifying multifaceted security crises into a dramatic good vs. evil binary for a global audience, Alex Barbir is inciting the very religious tensions that destabilize the nation, making the work of local peacebuilders and military operatives exponentially more difficult.