CLAIM: Nigeria is the Major Sponsor of ECOWAS
On June 28, 2023, a user of the microblogging website, Twitter, replied to a tweet made by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) on its handle @BIDC_EBID. The tweet reply made by @Enyin_Naya stated that Nigeria is the major sponsor of ECOWAS. EBID tweeted that “EBID’s $942.3M commitment
CLAIM: Gecko Lizards have dangerous venom and can kill within 60 seconds
Olukokun Yusuf On June 18, 2023, @Santario_ a Tweep threw the Twitter timelines into a frenzy with his tweet, claiming gecko lizards also known as common house lizards’ skins are more venomous than snakes; and they can kill within 60 seconds if not medically attended to. As of the time
Claim: Factchecking claims surrounding the protest in Garoua, Cameroon.
On Wednesday, June 7, 2023, a Twitter user Eons Intelligence (@eonsintelligenc) had on June 7, 2023, posted a video on Twitter, saying commercial motorcyclists in Garoua, Cameroon were protesting the removal of the petrol subsidy. Also, a YouTube channel, Thisweekngtv posted the same video with the title “Commercial motorcyclists in
CLAIM: President Bola Tinubu Suspends NNPC Limited’s Group CEO, Mele Kyari
Yusuf Olukokun On June 10, 2023, a Twitter user, @StFreakingKezy tweeted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd.) Group Executive Director has been suspended with immediate effect. The claim made by this user was visibly found on some Twitter accounts: One of the tweets that went viral, was
CLAIM: President Tinubu Orders Immediate Reopening of All Land Borders in Nigeria
A Twitter user @NkirukaNistoran claims that Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has ordered the immediate reopening of the country’s borders.
The claim that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the reopening of all land borders in Nigeria is FALSE.
Fact-checking Claims on the Origin and Deaths of the Civil Unrest in Senegal
Olukokun Yusuf On 5th June 2023, a popular Twitter page with close to a million followers, @AfricaFactsZone made a post stating that 16 people have died following the protest in Senegal against President Sall’s unconstitutional third-term bid. The post also notes that opposition leader; Ousmane Sonko, has also been charged
CLAIM: Minister of Education Impregnates His Deputy Minister in the Democratic Republic of Congo
On Friday, May 19, 2023, a Twitter blogger posted that Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Education, Tony Mwaba Kazadi has impregnated his Deputy Minister, Aminata Namasia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This tweet has generated thousands of reactions and reached over a million Twitter users already. VERIFICATION
A Look at the Facts as ARISE TV anchor, Ayo Mairo-Ese Reacts to UK Immigration Policy, Makes Multiple Claims
Okediran Adeyemi and Olukokun Yusuf Ayo Mairo-Ese who anchors ARISETV’s The Morning Show, has made multiple claims about Nigerians and its public office holders in relation to the United Kingdom’s new immigration policy. According to a viral video posted on May 24, 2023, Mario-Ese made the claim while commenting on
CLAIM: Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria Has Created 12 Million Jobs in Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari spokesman, Garba Shehu claims the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has created 12 million jobs in Nigeria. Garba Shehu made this claim while commenting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration regarding job creation, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily Programme . The spokesman said: “In agriculture alone, the
CLAIM: United States Imposes Visa Restrictions on Peter Obi, Aisha Yesufu, and Falz
A viral claim on micro-blogging platform Twitter states that the USA government has issued visa restrictions to the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi; human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu; popular musician and rights activist, Falz amongst others. One of those who have shared this claim is a Twitter influencer,
CLAIM: Viral WhatsApp Video Makes Claims About Inventions and Death of the Inventors
CLAIM: A video clip showing a white dog with the voiceover talking about the year in which several great inventors died has gone viral on WhatsApp.
VERDICT: Almost all the claims by the narrator about the ages of inventors at the time of their death as well as the lifespan of rabbit and tortoise are FALSE and MISLEADING, the only claim which is TRUE is that of Maradona’s age at death
CLAIM: Doctors who found evidence that the MRNA was linked to turbo cancer die in plane crash
CLAIM: 8 doctors who died in a plane crash in Brazil found evidence linking mRNA vaccines to turbo cancer.
VERDICT: While six oncologists and two medics were aboard, only two had cancer-related specialties, and the concept of turbo cancer is a debunked myth associated with anti-vaccine narratives.
CLAIM: Fake Officers Wearing Police Uniform Arrested in Lagos
CLAIM: An X user posted a video showing two individuals wearing Nigerian Police uniform being apprehended and slapped under the veranda of a building.
VERDICT: The viral video that shows individuals arrested for wearing fake police uniforms to extort innocent people is TRUE but not recent
CLAIM: Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari Denies the Return of Fuel Subsidy
CLAIM: A viral video showing the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, denying the return of fuel subsidy, surfaced on social media.
VERDICT: The video footage which claims that Kyari has disregarded return of fuel subsidy is an old footage from a Channels TV interview from October 2023, hence it is MISLEADING
Fact-checking Presidential Aide on President Tinubu’s One Year Economy Scorecard
CLAIM: the Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Social Media, Olusegun Dada with the X username, @DOlusegun posted an infographic showing how the president had improved Nigeria’s economy since inauguration in May 2023.
VERDICT: The claims made by the Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Social Media, Olusegun Dada on Tinubu’s scorecard with the economy is PARTIALLY TRUE.
