Juliet Buna
An X user with the name Citizen Observer (@CitizenObs) made a post on June 6, 2024, about the killing of 22 people in Zamfara State by Fulani terrorists. The post also alleged that the Nigerian Army is more focused on searching for IPOB members in Aba rather than addressing the security issues in the war-torn region. A graphic image of the victims was shared alongside the post.
The post reads, “Fulani terrorists overrun Janbako and Goran Namaye towns in Maradun LGA in Zamfara State, massacre 22 people. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army is at Aba looking for IPOB members. They left the war zone to occupy a peaceful environment. BBC has gone blind. Cubana-pig-thief has gone dumb. Yoruba Ronu and other sophisticated morons have all gone mute. You see this Nigeria, it will happen to all those who crave it. It’s just a matter of time.”
The post has generated over 99,000 views, 1,900 reposts, and 1,800 likes. Some users, like Christopher (@christopherjiy2), lamented the failure of the country and the looting of funds by politicians. In contrast, others, like Stand 4 Justice (@BlossomClaris), attributed the military’s presence in the east to corruption and illegal activities. He wrote, “They’re in the east because they make money from travellers and motorists. They’ve underpaid resulting in illegal means of livelihood. Nigeria needs resetting”
Another X user, Jejeniwa Akintunde (@JejeniwaAk3565), called for a new military architecture, stating that the current military has become archaic and unprofessional. The user alleged that the uniform had been hijacked by untrained individuals from Sambisa Forest.
He wrote, “Nigeria may require a new military architecture! The current Nigerian military has gone archaic and is no longer professional! The uniform has been hijacked by non-repentant awkwardly trained Sambisa forest former squatters! Now we have an occupation force!”
VERIFICATION
Preliminary searches show Zamfara State has been plagued by ongoing violence, with armed gangs of cattle thieves engaging in kidnappings and attacks. Recent data from the first quarter of 2024 indicated a significant rise in violence, with over 2,300 people reported killed across various states. Zamfara topped the list with 439 recorded deaths, followed closely by Borno, Kastina, and Benue.
Despite the alarming statistics highlighting the dire situation in Zamfara, Citizen Observer’s claim does not align with the recent data.
Further, while we found no credible news report authenticating this claim after conducting a keyword search, NV-A examined the attached image and found that it’s old and recirculated. Google reverse image search shows that the photo dates back to 2018.
The image originally circulated in April 2018 with reports of 26 people killed in two villages in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State. It was published by news platforms such as Nairaland, and Linda Ikeji. The story was republished again in 2019 by a French Platform, NetAfrique.net.
CONCLUSION
The image shared alongside the post dates back to 2018, and the narrative is a recycled version of a previous incident. Despite the ongoing violence in Zamfara State, the claim is not accurate.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan, and News Verifier Africa, to enrich the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
