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No, image does not show man sentenced to death for defending residents in Kaduna

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
Reading Time: 2 min.
screenshot of the viral post

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A viral image circulating on social media claims to show a man sentenced to death in Kaduna State for allegedly organising youths to protect people from terrorists.

The claim surfaced amid renewed public debate over insecurity in northern Nigeria and concerns about the government’s approach to handling terrorism and violent attacks.

An X user, @SlimNazi, posted the image with the caption:

“It has come to light that an individual in Kaduna reportedly organised youths to confront bandits and kidnappers within the state. Subsequently, this person was apprehended by the government and received a death sentence by hanging. This situation raises questions regarding the priorities of this administration in terms of protection whether it is the citizens or the perpetrators of terrorism.”

READ : Video does not show students kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna

The post has generated over 200 reposts and likes.

CLAIM

Image shows a man sentenced to death for trying to protect residents from terrorists in Kaduna State.

screenshot of the viral post

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

The claim appears to have gained traction amid heightened public frustration over insecurity and recent controversies surrounding the reintegration and pardoning of former insurgents.

However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the image has been taken out of context.

A reverse image search shows that the photo first appeared online in 2019, years before the recent viral claim.

Reports published by online platforms such as Tori.ng at the time identified the man as Victor Solomon, also known as “Zidane,” an alleged gang leader accused of terrorising residents of Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to reports, Solomon was arrested by security operatives on March 7, 2019, at his hideout in Rimau village after being linked to violent attacks in parts of southern Kaduna.

While Victor Solomon was indeed sentenced to death in January 2026, official records show that the sentence was not for protecting residents from terrorists.

According to the Nigerian Tribune, the Kaduna State Government clarified the matter and described the social media narrative as false and misleading.

According to the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, James Kanyip, Solomon faced two separate criminal trials involving different offences and different victims.

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The first case, involving criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, ended in Solomon’s acquittal in 2024.

However, the second case involved more serious charges, including criminal conspiracy, grievous harm without provocation, and culpable homicide punishable by death.

That trial concluded in October 2025, and Solomon was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging on January 6, 2026, based on the court’s findings.

The government stated that the conviction followed due judicial process and was based on evidence presented in court, not because he was defending Christians from terrorists.

THE VERDICT

The claim that the man in the viral image was sentenced to death for trying to protect residents of Kaduna from terrorists is FALSE. The image shows Victor Solomon, an alleged gang leader arrested in 2019, who was later sentenced to death in a separate criminal case unrelated to the viral claim.

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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