Viral video falsely claims terrorists invade Ibadan community

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A VIRAL video circulating on social media, shared by a verified X user @Somtolism7, claims to capture a violent invasion of a local community in Ibadan, Oyo State, by terrorists.

The footage shows terrified residents running down an untarred road as commercial motorcycles speed past.

The post accompanied with the caption:

“Just in: Fulanis terrorists just stumbled another community in Ibadan.”

As of May 22, the post has garnered over 230,000 views, 2500 likes and over 1000 reposts. In addition to profiling the Fulani ethnic group, the claim has incited fear and has been virally shared.

READ: Reno Omokri makes false claim about Nigeria’s debt reduction under Tinubu

CLAIM

A viral video captures an allegedly recent invasion of an Ibadan community in Oyo State by terrorists.

screenshot of the viral post on x

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

The video was not filmed anywhere in Nigeria, nor does it portray any local herder-farmer clashes or domestic security operations.

Keyword searches done by The FactCheckHub traced the unedited version of the footage back to an Instagram reel posted by Congolese media handle, @congoyetu_, on May 8, 2026.

The upload occurred exactly two weeks before the cropped version was deceptively recirculated on Nigerian social media spaces.

The original, uncropped video features a clear French text overlay that reads:

Panique à Byakato, dans le territoire de Mambasa, après des rumeurs signalant la présence des ADF dans la cité”. Translated into English, it reads: “Panic in Byakato, in the territory of Mambasa, following rumors signaling the presence of the ADF in the town.”

screenshot of the original footage on Instagram

Also, official security reports from Xinhua News Agency and global updates from CGTN Africa confirm that on May 7, 2026, a real incursion by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels hit the town of Biakato (also spelled Byakato) in the Mambasa Territory of Ituri Province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The attack killed at least 12 civilians and triggered massive panic, forcing hundreds of local residents to flee their households for safety.

VERDICT

The claim that the viral video shows “Fulani terrorists” invading Ibadan is FALSE. The original footage captures Congolese civilians fleeing a humanitarian crisis in Biakato village, Democratic Republic of Congo, following an attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militant group.

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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

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