A VIRAL video shared on social media claims to show recent abduction carried out by bandits in Niger State, Nigeria.
The video depicts several individuals who appear to be held captive, surrounded by armed men in a forested location.
The claim was posted on 21 August 2026 by verified X user @ChinasaNworu, alongside the caption:
“Fulani Islamic terrorists held a mass assembly of Christian hostages. The Muslims forced these believers, from multiple tribes, to beg in their native languages to be ransomed.This evil is intolerable and the political class is playing with the lives of people.
Since this is the part they have chosen Biafraland will be their grave yard for this horrible and abominable behaviors .
@radiobiafralive @mfa_russia @realDonaldTrump @HouseForeignGOP @HouseNGR @GoitaAssimi @CapitaineIb226”
As of 7 September 2026, the post had garnered more than 6,000 views, 300 reposts and 260 likes on X.
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CLAIM
Video shows recent bandit attack and abduction of residents in Niger State.
FINDINGS
Niger State is located in the north-central region of Nigeria. In recent years, the state has faced growing security challenges, particularly from banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities. Insecurity has become a significant concern across parts of Niger State, with armed bandits targeting communities, motorists, farmers and security personnel.
However, findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.
To verify the origin and timeline of the video, The FactCheckHub conducted a reverse image search and keyword search using keyframes extracted from the circulating footage.
The investigation revealed that the video is not recent and dates back to 2023.
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the footage originated from an abduction incident in the Kafin Koro and Kwagana communities located in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State. Reports from March 2023 indicate that terrorists abducted more than 60 residents, mostly farmers, in the affected communities.
In June 2023, the abductors reportedly released the footage as part of a ransom demand, showing the captives bound and held at gunpoint. The incident was subsequently reported by several news outlets.
Subsequent news reports, including a report by Media Talk Africa, confirmed that the remaining 56 kidnapped victims shown in the footage were released on 6 August 2023, after a ransom was reportedly paid.
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Further cross-checks revealed that the same video had been circulated online months earlier. For instance, All Facts Newspaper reposted the footage on Facebook months ago, providing further evidence that the video is not recent.
VERDICT
The claim that the video shows a recent bandit attack in Niger State is MISLEADING. Findings confirm that the footage dates back to an abduction incident in Kafin Koro and Kwagana communities located in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State in early 2023.The captives shown in the footage were subsequently released in August 2023.
Seasoned writer and literary curator, Zainab Abdulrasaq is a factchecker for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached on IG @blackbookishgirl or zabdulrasaq@icirnigeria.org
