A VIRAL video circulating on social media claims that gold was discovered at a road construction site in Arochukwu, Abia State, prompting scores of residents to rush to the location in an attempt to collect the precious metal.
The claim was shared in a Facebook post by Igbere TV with the caption:
“BREAKING! Gold Reportedly Discovered in Construction Site in Arochukwu Abia State.”
The post features footage of a large crowd digging through soil and gathering rocks at what appears to be a road construction site.
As of August 6,2026, the post has generated over 1000 likes, 300 comments and more than 100 shares.
The claim also surfaced on X here.
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CLAIM
A viral video claims to show the discovery of gold at a road construction site in Arochukwu, Abia State.
FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.
A reverse image search conducted by The FactCheckHub revealed that the footage is neither recent nor breaking news.
The FactCheckHub found that the footage had been circulating online months earlier. On June 16, 2026, Native Reporters, a Nigerian digital news platform, shared the video on Instagram, reporting that residents had rushed to gather stones after mistaking them for mineral resources. A day later, on June 17, 2026, Realtvng published the same footage, similarly reporting that residents had flocked to the site to collect stones they believed were valuable mineral deposits.
These earlier posts indicate that residents of Arochukwu did gather at the road construction site to collect stones. However, they did so amid unverified claims that a valuable mineral resource had been discovered there, not because there was any confirmed discovery of gold.
Although Abia State is known to possess a variety of mineral resources, including limestone, kaolin, bentonite clay, silica sand, gold, and phosphate, this does not substantiate the claim made in the viral video. The FactCheckHub found no credible evidence or official report confirming that the footage shows the discovery of gold or any other mineral resource at the construction site.
In 2023, Abia State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed that 17 solid minerals had been identified in various parts of the state, including Arochukwu. He added that the state government planned to deploy the necessary resources to explore and develop these mineral deposits.
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However, there is no official report or geological assessment from the Abia State government or the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development confirming that gold has recently been discovered at the road construction site featured in the viral video.
Furthermore, there is no credible evidence linking the circulating video to the discovery of gold or any other mineral resource.
VERDICT
The claim that a viral video shows a recent discovery of gold at a road construction site in Arochukwu, Abia State, is MISLEADING. The FactCheckHub found that the footage had been circulating online since at least June 2026 and was not recorded recently. While residents did gather at the site to collect stones amid unverified claims of a mineral discovery, there is no official or credible evidence confirming that gold or any other valuable mineral was discovered at the location.
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
