A VIRAL video circulating on social media claims to depict a current, ongoing kidnapping and torment of a Nigerian citizen.
The post shared by a verified X user @Somtolism7, used the footage to criticise the socio-political climate, with the caption:
“This is happening to a Nigerian citizen who will still stand up to defend Nigerian politicians if he survives this deadly terrain he has found himself in. Imagine defending the same system while struggling to survive its failures.”
The post which was made on 22 October 2026, has generated over 46,000 views, 260 likes and over 110 retweets.
READ: Viral video of bandits playing in Northern Nigeria hospital is unproven
CLAIM
Viral post implies that the video depicts a recent, ongoing kidnapping ordeal faced by a Nigerian citizen struggling against systemic failures.
FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.
Reverse image search done by The FactCheckHub revealed that the video is old and dates back to March 2026.
In January 2026, Musa Abba, a corps member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was abducted by bandits while travelling to Sokoto in January.
On 5 March 2026, security analyst Zagazola Makama, reported that family members of Abba, say they believe he has been killed by his abductors despite paying a ransom of N10 million for his release. One of the pictures used by Makama in the report was a screen grab of the video of where Abba was being punished by his abductors, the same video that just resurfaced.
On 10 March 2026, News Central TV also reported the same abduction, and broadcasted the video.
While the video is real, it’s not a current case and that itself is misleading.
VERDICT
The claim is MISLEADING. Findings show that the footage features Musa Abba, a corps member who was kidnapped and killed by bandits in March 2026.
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
