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Two years on: Tinubu administration continues to reel out misleading information

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Two years on: Tinubu administration continues to reel out misleading information

SINCE taking office on May 29, 2023, the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his media team have frequently come under scrutiny for spreading misinformation and half-truths to shape public perception. The Nigerian presidency has repeatedly, through official press statements, social media posts, and media appearances, pushed narratives that often fall short of factual accuracy in some cases.

Last year, when Tinubu clocked one year in office, The FactCheckHub examined how the president’s media team, led then by Ajuri Ngelale, spread misinformation regarding the UAE visa ban and NASDAQ’s closing bell, among others.

Though Ngelale has stepped down, the spread of false or misleading information by the president and his media aides continue unabashed, thus prompting this report.

READ THIS: Fact-checking claims about companies that have exited Nigeria under Tinubu presidency

Tinubu’s media aides include the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare; Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala; Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz; Senior Special Assistant on Digital/New Media, O’tega Ogra; Senior Special Assistant on Media & Public Affairs, Tope Ajayi; Senior Special Assistant on Public Engagement, Fredrick Nwabufo; Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications, Linda Nwabuwa Akhigbe; Senior Special Assistant on Media & Communications (Vice President’s Office), Kingsley Stanley Nkwocha and Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun etc.

In this insightful report, we spotlight a series of false or misleading information shared by President Tinubu and his media aides two years into his four-year administration.

1. Tinubu’s misleading claim about crude oil production

Addressing Nigerians via a nationwide broadcast in the early hours of August 4, 2024 following the nationwide protests across the country, President Tinubu highlighted some of the achievements recorded by his administration to cushion the effects of economic hardship on the citizens.

During the address, the president claimed that Nigeria has increased crude oil production to 1.61 million barrels per day. However, findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim was FALSE.

According to the data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production stood at 1.276 million barrels per day (bpd) in June 2024, based on data submitted by the Nigerian government, which is an OPEC member.

OPEC gathers data on crude oil production from direct communication from member countries and secondary communication, such as energy intelligence platforms.

This represents an increase of just 25,000 barrels daily from 1.251 million barrels bpd recorded in May 2024. 

According to secondary sources, Nigeria retained its position as the largest oil producer in Africa with 1.362 million bpd in June 2024, closely trailed by Libya, which produced 1.2 million bpd for the same month.

2. Tinubu’s false information about foreign investment 

In the nationwide broadcast on October 1, 2024, Tinubu shared updates on the nation’s progress, economic outlook, and security measures as Nigeria marked its 64th anniversary. 

During the address, the president said that Nigeria attracted foreign direct investments worth more than $30 billion in the previous year (2023). However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

DON’T MISS THIS: A look at misinformation spread by Tinubu’s media team within one year in office

Nigeria received a total of $59.77 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the third quarter of 2023, when Tinubu became Nigeria’s president, according to official data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In the fourth quarter of 2023, FDI amounted to $183.97 million, while the first quarter of 2024 saw $119.18 million in earnings. Altogether, Nigeria attracted $362.92 million in foreign direct investment over the nine months between July 2023 and March 2024. This is lower than the amount mentioned by Tinubu in the presidential broadcast.

3. Misleading images of ‘Secretary of State Parolin’

Ahead of the inauguration mass for Pope Leo XIV held on May 18, 2025, the Nigerian presidency shared photos of Tinubu’s visit to the Vatican via the president’s official X handle and one of his media aides, Bayo Onanuga. In the post, the Presidency said Tinubu was warmly received by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State.

In the photos shared, the president was seen talking with the cardinal as he posed for a picture with him. However, the person he posed for photographs with was not Parolin, as claimed in the X post.

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the person in both images is Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, President of the Commission for Confidential Matters, and President of the Committee for Investments.

4. Onanuga’s misleading claim about Julius Debrah 

On January 6, 2025, one of Nigeria’s presidential spokespersons, Bayo Onanuga, claimed that Julius Debrah was the Chief of Staff to the immediate-past president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo.

Onanuga posted the claim on X (formerly Twitter) to announce the Nigerian president’s arrival at the inauguration ceremony held for the newly elected Ghanaian president, John Mahama, on January 7, 2025.

Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING, as Debrah is the current Chief of Staff to Ghanaian President, John Mahama, who was sworn-in this January.

To verify the claim, our fact-checker subjected the keyword “chief of staff to president Nana Addo Akufo” to an advanced Bing search. The results show that Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare was the Chief of Staff to ex-president Akufo-Addo, who served from 2017- 2025.

Further findings revealed that Julius Debrah was the Chief of Staff to the President Mahama during his first tenure after he was appointed in February 2015, when Prosper Douglas Bani was removed and assigned as Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary.

ALSO READ: Video does not show Jonathan accused Sowore of working for Tinubu

Debrah was later re-appointed as Mahama’s Chief of Staff on January 6, 2025 and he received President Tinubu in that official capacity when the Nigerian president arrived Ghana ahead of the inauguration.

5. Another Tinubu’s aide shares misleading image to falsely portray Obi’s record

On April 29, 2025, Dada Olusegun shared two contrasting images on X to compare water transportation in Anambra State under Peter Obi’s governorship tenure (2006 – 2014), and Lagos State under the current Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In one image, Obi was seen in a wooden canoe in a flood-ravaged area. The second image showed Sanwo-Olu aboard a modern watercraft. Olusegun captioned the post: “Water transportation in Anambra under Obi Vs Water Transportation in Lagos under Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”

A reverse image search conducted by The FactCheckHub revealed that the photo was taken in October 2022, eight years after Obi left office, during a visit to flood victims in Anambra State. At the time, Obi was a presidential candidate under the Labour Party for the 2023 general election.

6. Nigerian Presidency shares misleading video during #EndBadGovernance protest

During the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protest in Nigeria, the Nigerian presidency shared a video of President Tinubu purportedly issuing a passionate plea to Nigerians to embrace peace and “look beyond temporary pains.” The video also appeared on Tinubu’s official X account.

However, findings by The FactCheckHub show that the video is an extract from an old broadcast by Tinubu. A Google reverse image search conducted on some keyframes obtained from the video showed that the longer version was posted by Tinubu on July 31, 2023.  The text version was also posted on Nigeria’s State House’s website same day.

7. Onanuga’s false claim that Nigeria budgeted 97% of revenue for debt servicing in 2023

In June 2024, a New York Times article about Nigeria’s economic situation drew a response from the Nigerian government.

The article, titled ‘Nigeria Confronts Its Worst Economic Crisis in a Generation‘, talks about fuel subsidy removal and the floatation of Nigeria’s currency by the Tinubu-led administration and their impacts on the population.

Reacting to the report, the Nigerian presidency, through Onanuga, described the article as a “jaundiced report” and claimed that the current economic crisis was a consequence of the bad economy Tinubu inherited.

THIS MIGHT INTEREST YOU: Old video of Tinubu working out goes viral with misleading claim

Onanuga then claimed that the 2023 Appropriation Act was inefficient as it proposed to spend 97 percent of the country’s revenues to service debt.

However, the claim was FALSE, according to findings by FIJ. In 2023, the country was projected to generate N8.46 trillion in revenue and spend N6.31 trillion servicing public debt. According to the Debt Management Office (DMO), which coordinates the management of Nigeria’s debt, this represented a debt-servicing ratio of 73.5 per cent.

8. Bwala’s false claims about Ndume projects, bills passed

In April 2025, Daniel Bwala claimed that Senator Ali Ndume has not had any executed projects throughout his 22-year stay in the National Assembly.

He made the claim (video times stamp: 15:39 – 17:01) during an interview on Channels TV’s programme, Sunday Politics, on April 13, 2025, in response to earlier criticisms of the presidential media team by Ndume on the same programme on April 11, 2025.

Bwala also stated that despite spending 22 years in Nigeria’s National Assembly as a lawmaker, Ndume has not completed a single project in Southern Borno, his constituency. He also accused the senator of neglecting over 120,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from his constituency who are still refugees in Cameroon.

Findings by The FactCheckHub revealed some projects executed by Ndume as a senator and multiple bills sponsored and passed by him as a lawmaker.

Video does not show ransom meant for kidnappers in Nigeria

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Video does not show ransom meant for kidnappers in Nigeria

A video showing bundles of naira notes being arranged in a car boot has circulated online alongside a claim that it shows ransom being prepared to be paid to “Fulani herdsmen” in Nigeria.

An X user, @agnes_nwanneka, posted the video, captioned thus:

“This is ransom to be paid to Fulani herdsmen for their kidnapping job in Nigeria.”

The video has garnered some traction online with over 100 reposts and more than 100 likes, and thus sparking mixed reactions in the comment section.

READ THIS: Video does NOT show Fulani boy eating human flesh

Many users appeared to believe the claim, linking it to the widespread insecurity and spate of kidnappings across Nigeria, which is often attributed to armed herdsmen or Fulani militia.

 

CLAIM

Video shows ransom being prepared for Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria.

 

THE FINDINGS

Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING as the video depicts the money recovered from some corrupt Nigerian police officers indicted for extorting some corps members in 2024.

In recent years, Nigeria has experienced several cases of kidnapping-for-ransom incidents, particularly in the North-West and North-Central regions. These attacks are frequently blamed on armed groups, including suspected herdsmen and bandits, who abduct victims and demand huge sums in exchange for their release.

Screenshot of the X post. Insert: MISLEADING verdict.

According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), households paid ₦2.23 trillion ($1.48 billion– using N1504 CBN rate) in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024. The NBS’s Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey reported 51.89 million crime incidents during this period, with the Northwest recording the highest cases.

Data from SBM Intelligence show that since 2019, Nigeria has witnessed 735 mass abductions till date. Between July 2022 and June 2023 alone, 3,620 people were abducted in 582 cases, with about ₦5 billion ($3.3 million) paid in ransom within the period.

A reverse image search using keyframes from the video via Google Lens revealed that the footage is not connected to any ransom payment for Fulani herdsmen. Instead, the video was first posted by the Nigerian activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, via X on November 5, 2024.

It shows the recovery of ₦10 million in cash extorted from a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by some police officers in Bayelsa State.

In the original video shared on X on November 5, 2024, Gwamnishu wrote:

*₦10,000,000.00 CASH RECOVERY FROM POLICE OFFICERS FROM ZONE 16, BAYELSA STATE…”

He noted that the cash was retrieved from the police after some of their officers harassed and extorted corps members along the East-West Road, a known flashpoint for police misconduct.

ALSO READ: Nigerian influencer makes false claims about Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Force spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on November 8, 2024. The statement revealed that the four officers involved were Emmanuel Ubong, Nse Okon, Adiewere Collins, and Kuromare Marine.

They were responsible for the extortion, and the money was recovered through the intervention of the then Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 16, Adebola Hamzat. Recall that Hamzat was later promoted to a Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police and has been appointed to head the NPF’s Department of Logistics and Supply (DLS).

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the video shows ransom being prepared for Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria is MISLEADING; the video actually depicts the recovery of ₦10 million extorted by some corrupt police officers from NYSC members in Bayelsa State in 2024.

IFCN announces speakers for Global Fact 12

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
IFCN announces speakers for Global Fact 12

THE International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute has announced keynote speakers for the 12th edition of Global Fact-checking Summit.

The world’s largest fact-checking summit, scheduled for June 25 – 27 will be hosted at Fundação Getulio Vargas Comunicação in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The conference will feature Brazilian jurists, Alexandre de Moraes and Cármen Lúcia, as well as Attorney General, Jorge Messias, a statement by the IFCN stated.

It will also feature journalists Patricia Campos Mello, Jaime Abello and Laura Zommer, who will discuss information integrity, democracy, technology and human rights.

They will speak on Brazil’s experiences with disinformation and the rule of law.

READ THIS: Global fact-checkers grapple with harassment, cyberattacks and financial instability – Report

This year’s edition is hosted in partnership with four Brazilian fact-checking organizations — Aos Fatos, Estadão Verifica, Lupa, UOL Confere — and with Fundação Getulio Vargas Comunicação.

Alexandre de Moraes is a Minister of the Federal Supreme Court and served as President of the Superior Electoral Court from 2022 to 2024, overseeing Brazil’s general elections. He previously served as Minister of Justice and Public Security, and held state-level roles as Secretary of Public Security and Secretary of Justice and Citizenship. In 2005, he joined the first composition of the National Council of Justice. He is a full professor of constitutional law at the University of São Paulo and the Presbyterian University Mackenzie.

Cármen Lúcia is a Minister of the Federal Supreme Court, having served as President of the Court and of the National Council of Justice from 2016 to 2018. She also held the positions of Minister and President of the Superior Electoral Court from 2008 to 2013. In June 2024, she took office as President of the Electoral Court. She is a full professor of constitutional law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais.

Jorge Messias is Brazil’s Attorney General of the Union, appointed in 2023 by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. A career public servant, he has served as a National Treasury Attorney since 2007 and held senior legal roles across the federal government. Messias holds a law degree from the Federal University of Pernambuco and both a master’s and doctorate from the University of Brasília, with academic work focused on development, society and international cooperation.

De Moraes, Lúcia and Messias will speak to Brazil’s experiences with disinformation and the rule of law.

Patrícia Campos Mello is an award-winning journalist and columnist at Folha de S.Paulo in Brazil, known for her reporting on disinformation, digital violence and global crises. She has covered stories in over 50 countries, including conflicts in Syria and Iraq and the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. Her investigation into WhatsApp disinformation during Brazil’s 2018 election drew international acclaim. She holds a journalism degree from the University of São Paulo and a master’s from NYU. Campos Mello is the author of “Lua de Mel em Kobane” and “A Máquina do Ódio.”

Laura Zommer is the co-founder of Factchequeado in the United States, as well as the former director and editor-in-chief at Chequeado of Argentina. Zommer was the creator of LatamChequea, the largest regional fact-checking network that brings together more than 30 media platforms in 15 countries across Latin America. She is a former member of the IFCN advisory board, and currently is a Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

Jaime Abello Banfi is general director and co-founder of the Fundación Gabo, an organization created in 1994 in Cartagena by author, Gabriel García Márquez, a Nobel Laureate in Literature in 1982.

ALSO READ: Disinformation in Brazil election: Lessons for Nigeria ahead of 2023 polls

Its mission is to promote better journalism and stimulate creativity, with an emphasis on the workshop method and the founder’s memory. Before joining the Gabo Foundation, Jaime was, from 1990 to 1994, the Director-Manager of Telecaribe, the regional public television channel of the Colombian Caribbean.

He graduated from the Law Faculty of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá but has dedicated his professional life to journalism, film, communication, and cultural management.

Campos Mello, Zommer and Abello will speak about fact-checking journalism, human rights, technology and the challenges of creating an informed future society.

False claim circulates on X about military coup in Ivory Coast

Abdullahi Muritala
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False claim circulates on X about military coup in Ivory Coast

A claim that there is a recent military coup in Ivory Coast, with alleged reports of gunfire in Abidjan and the likely disappearance of President Alassane Ouattara has circulated online.

The claim, shared by an X user, @VDMEmpire, read:

“Military coup going on in Ivory Coast, Democratic elected President, Allassane Ouattara, might have been k!lled after hundreds of soldiers loyal to him were eliminated in a fierce gun battle”

The post has garnered over 350,000 views with more than 8,000 likes and over 1,500 reposts as of May 23, 2025.

READ THIS: Video does not show Nigerian army ready to attack Niger Republic

A similar post was also shared earlier by another X user, @_nonconformist1; thus showing how the narrative has spread. His post read: “Ivory Coast is literally burning. President has gone missing! A coup!”

 

CLAIM

There is a recent military coup in Ivory Coast.

 

THE FINDINGS

Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE, as multiple credible media organisations and an Ivorian journalist debunked the claim.

Screenshot of the post retrieved from X inserted FALSE VERDICT
Screenshot of the post retrieved from X. Insert: FALSE verdict.

In recent years, West and Central Africa have witnessed a surge in military coups, shaking regional stability. Since 2020, countries like Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon etc have experienced successful coup d’états, often justified by the military as responses to insecurity, corruption, or governance failures.

These coups have drawn international condemnation but also gained some popular support locally due to growing frustration with civilian governments. The trend has raised concerns about democratic backsliding across the African continent and the weakening of constitutional order.

To verify the claim, our fact-checker independently contacted Mohamed Diarrassi, a journalist with PesaCheck in Ivory Coast, who confirmed that the claim is FALSE. He stressed that multiple news platforms have debunked the claim including a news agency here.

ALSO READ: Is Gabon a West African country?

Additionally, our fact-checker reviewed other credible news outlets and found out that the alleged coup in the West African nation is FALSE, as seen here. A review of the official X handle of President Ouattara showed that the Ivorian president participated actively in the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Prize Award Ceremony held on Thursday, May 22, 2025, as seen on his X livestream.

Similarly, Liberia Public Radio’s correspondent in Abidjan, Benjamin Tegbeh, confirmed that reports of gunfire and the death of a military general in Ivory Coast were FALSE. He noted that residents were going about their normal activities and that there was no unusual military presence observed in the country.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that there is a recent military coup in Ivory Coast is FALSE; multiple media reports and journalists in Abidjan debunked the alleged military coup in the West African nation.

IFCN condemns harassment of Tempo journalists, urges protection for independent media

Abdullahi Muritala
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0
IFCN condemns harassment of Tempo journalists, urges protection for independent media

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has condemned unequivocally a series of escalating threats and harassment targeted at Indonesia’s Tempo media group, one of its signatories, calling on authorities to protect the safety and rights of journalists in the Southeast Asian country.

Tempo, a prominent independent and nonpartisan news organisation known for its accountability journalism, has come under intense pressure in recent weeks, a statement released by the global fact-checking body on Friday, May 23, 2025 noted.

DON’T MISS THIS: IFCN condemns Serbian police raid on CRTA

Recall that in March 2025, the outlet’s Jakarta office was targeted with disturbing acts of intimidation – first a severed pig’s head was delivered on March 19, 2025 followed by decapitated rats three days later. 

Also in April this year, Tempo suffered major cyber attacks that disrupted the distribution of its reports.

The IFCN’s statement noted that the threats coincided with a wave of political rhetoric and public demonstrations. Indonesian president, Prabowo Subianto, had alleged that foreign-funded media were attempting to “divide” the country, which was followed by protests outside Indonesia’s Press Council, where demonstrators demanded action against Tempo.

“Such harassment can have chilling effects on independent journalism, including the work of fact-checkers,” part of the statement read, adding that Tempo’s work is vital to democracy.

Tempo’s fact-checking unit has been a signatory to the IFCN’s Code of Principles since 2018, having passed rigorous assessments on transparency, methodology, and independence. IFCN emphasized that all signatories voluntarily commit to uphold universal standards of nonpartisan journalism.

ALSO READ: Global fact-checkers grapple with harassment, cyberattacks and financial instability – Report

“These orchestrated intimidation campaigns must end. Tempo deserves to continue publishing the explanatory journalism and reporting that holds power to account, without fear of reprisal,” it stated.

The IFCN, which operates under the Poynter Institute and supports fact-checking initiatives worldwide, publicly condemns these orchestrated intimidation campaigns against journalists in Indonesia and urged Indonesian authorities to act swiftly “to ensure the safety and basic rights of all media representatives, particularly those facing explicit threats.”

Did IMF COVID-19 loan force Nigeria to remove fuel subsidy, devalue naira?

Fatimah Quadri
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0
Did IMF COVID-19 loan force Nigeria to remove fuel subsidy, devalue naira?

A claim that Nigeria removed fuel subsidy and devalued its currency as part of the conditions for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan it obtained during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has circulated on X (formerly Twitter).

An X user, @_moussa_ibrahim, posted the video with a caption thus: “The IMF got its $3.4B from Nigeria but what did Nigerians get?”

In the video, the claimant was seen criticizing Nigeria’s recent repayment of a $3.4 billion loan to the IMF, arguing that while the country may have cleared its financial debt, it continues to bear a heavy social and economic burden.

READ THIS: Buhari’s GDP growth rate contradicts figures from CBN, IMF, others in Democracy Day speech

He claimed that the loan, obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic, came with stringent conditions such as the removal of fuel subsidies, currency devaluation, and policies promoting greater foreign interference.

The audio transcribed below read:

“…Nigeria just finished paying back $3.4 billion to the IMF , The International Monetary Fund, Great Right, Nope let me break it down. We got the money during covid just like many other African and Global south countries. Then came the conditions, remove fuel subsidies, devalue the national currency, open the economy for more foreign control, what followed Hunger protests broken systems, Now they are clapping because the debt is paid off but what about the social debt, the schools unfunded, the food unaffordable, the IMF is not here to help us, its here to restructure us into obedience. Nigeria paid back the money but the real cost was our sovereignty…”

The video post has garnered more than 93,000 views, plus over 4,000 likes, and more than 2,700 reposts as of May 23, 2025.

Recall that on May 8, 2025, multiple international and local media reported that Nigeria had fully repaid the $3.4 billion emergency loan it received from the IMF in 2020 to manage the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CLAIM 

IMF COVID-19 loan was given to Nigeria with conditions like currency devaluation and fuel subsidy removal.

 

THE FINDINGS 

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE, as the COVID funding was issued under its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) which does not require IMF conditionality.

In April 2020, amid the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a sharp decline in global oil prices, Nigeria secured $3.4 billion in emergency financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) .

The facility was designed to provide rapid financial assistance to countries facing urgent balance of payments needs without the requirement of a full-fledged economic programme.

Screenshot of the appearance of the claim on X; INSERT False verdict
Screenshot of the video post on X. Insert: FALSE verdict.

Notably, the RFI does not impose traditional IMF conditionality or structural reform mandates. However, recipient countries were expected to outline their policy intentions to address underlying economic challenges.

The RFI is characterized by its swift disbursement and absence of ex-post conditionality. However, recipient countries were expected to cooperate with the IMF to address balance of payments difficulties, outline general economic policies they intend to pursue and commit to transparency and accountability in the use of funds.

In Nigeria’s case, the federal government pledged to enhance transparency by publishing procurement plans and conducting independent audits of COVID-19-related expenditures, implement fiscal measures to create space for priority spending, including health and social protection, and avoid central bank financing of the budget to maintain macroeconomic stability.

DON’T MISS THIS:  Old video of NNPCL boss denying payment of fuel subsidy resurfaces online

While the RFI itself did not mandate specific policy changes, Nigeria undertook multiple significant economic reforms post-disbursement such as the fuel subsidy removal and the devaluation of the currency.

It’s important to note that these reforms were domestic policy decisions, Premium Times reported. The IMF clarified that while it provides policy advice, the implementation of such reforms is at the discretion of the Nigerian government.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the IMF COVID-19 loan was given to Nigeria with conditions like currency devaluation and fuel subsidy removal is FALSE; the Nigerian government implemented key economic reforms including the removal of fuel subsidy and currency devaluation at its discretion.

Video does not depict military coup in Ivory Coast

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
Video does not depict military coup in Ivory Coast

A video showing a building engulfed in fire has surfaced online with a claim that it is the result of a purported military coup in Ivory Coast.

The viral video, posted by an X user @AFRICANDEMOC, has a caption that read:

“Ivory cost coup. 19/05/ 2025. Ivory coast is burning  Alasana Qutara is no where to be found.”

READ THIS: GRV, other prominent Twitter accounts share misleading video about Niger coup

The post has generated more than 190,000 views with over 1,200 reposts and more than 2,900 likes as of May 23, 2025.

CLAIM

Video shows building set ablaze due to military coup in Ivory Coast.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

False rumours of a military coup in Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d’Ivoire, have gone viral recently across social media platforms. However, there’s no credible media report indicating such.

In fact, Business Day reported that the Ivorian president, Alassane Ouattara, presided over a council of ministers meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan on May 21, 2025 demonstrating the government’s continued functionality amid the rumour.

Screenshot of the viral X post. Insert: MISLEADING verdict.

A reverse image search on some keyframes obtained from the viral video, combined with a keyword search on the internet, revealed that the video showed a widely reported fire incident that happened in Ivory Coast on February 5, 2025. An earlier version of the video can be seen here and here.

DON’T MISS THIS: Is Gabon a West African country?

The fire gutted and caused damage to the Adjamé Château shopping centre, which is located in Abidjan district of the country. Around 5:00PM local time that day, flames began to spread through the centre, accompanied by thick black smoke that eventually engulfed the three-story building.

Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic as residents gathered outside; some attempted to extinguish the fire, while others watched in utter shock.

Recall that the West African nation is billed to hold a presidential election in October 2025, even as its main opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, stepped down from the race after a court in Abidjan barred him from contesting and struck his names off the electoral list last month, saying the 62-year-old politician had lost Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987, Aljazeera reported.

President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who has been in power since 2011, has yet to say whether he plans to run again but has said he is eager to “continue serving my country”, the report added.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the video shows building set ablaze due to military coup in Ivory Coast is MISLEADING; the video has been online since February 5 and is unrelated to any coup or political unrest in the West African nation.

Fake report of Christian convert, Zainab Muhamadu circulates online

Fatimah Quadri
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0
Fake report of Christian convert, Zainab Muhamadu circulates online

THE image of a young woman has circulated on X (formerly Twitter) with a claim that she is Zainab Muhamadu, a 22-year-old from Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State who allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity recently.

Our fact-checker observed that the image trended online following several news reports that Ms. Zainab Muhamadu is facing trial in a Sharia court in Nigeria’s Zamfara State for becoming a Christian convert.

READ THIS: Did UK officially recognize Nigeria as an Islamic state?

Multiple news outlets published the report as seen here, here, here, here, here and here while it also trended on social media platforms as found here, here, here, here and here.

The reports claimed that she was allegedly arrested by Hisbah officials after converting to Christianity and has been detained for two weeks and she was scheduled to face trial at an Upper Sharia Court in Zamfara State, with the possibility of a death sentence under Islamic law.

CLAIM

Image shows Zainab Muhamadu who faces trial in Zamfara State for converting from Islam to Christianity.

 

THE FINDINGS

Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING and FALSE, as the image is that of Aalia Reeves, an American-based model and content creator.

When the image was subjected to a Google Lens search, it led our fact-checker to a TikTok video posted by Ms. Reeves on March 26, 2024.

Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. Insert: MISLEADING verdict.
Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. Insert: MISLEADING verdict.

In the video, she narrated how she had been making prayers (dua) for her mother since she became a revert and how her prayers has been slowly coming to fruition.

Aalia Reeves is a model, author and YouTuber from Houston, Texas in the United States of America (USA) and currently resides in Los Angeles. Formerly Trenkell Reeves before her conversion to Islam in the United States, she models for Bicoastal MGMT – an American-based modelling and talent management agency.

An Image of Aalia from her instagram
A screenshot of Aalia Reeves photo obtained from her Instagram account. CREDITS: Aalia Reeves.

According to Cambridge English Dictionary, apostasy is the act of giving up your religious or political beliefs and leaving a religion or a political party.

Apostasy (riddah) remains a serious offence in Islam. It is universally acknowledged by Muslim jurists as a Hadd offence alongside adultery, defamation, alcoholism, theft, brigandage and rebellion, and corruption of Islam (Bassiouni, 1982) – the most serious offences within the Sharia, for which fixed, mandatory punishments have been prescribed.

Aalia Reeves, American model and content creator. CREDITS: Instagram.com via @aaliaa_reeves
Aalia Reeves, American model and content creator. CREDITS: Instagram.com via @aaliaa_reeves

The media reports about Zainab’s trial shocked many online users, especially Nigerian netizens as they discuss the pros and cons of religions in modern day society, while some condemned the media outlets who carried the false report.

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Further checks by The FactCheckHub show that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution explicitly protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the right to change one’s religion or belief. This is enshrined in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which applies to all citizens regardless of state laws.

While Zamfara is among the twelve northern states in Nigeria that have adopted Sharia law in their judicial systems for Muslims, these religious courts operate within the bounds of the Nigerian Constitution. They cannot supersede federal laws or constitutional rights guaranteed to Nigerian citizens.

There is no provision in Nigerian federal law that prescribes death penalty for religious conversion. Furthermore, Nigerian courts do not recognise apostasy – the act of abandoning one’s religion – as a criminal offense. Legal precedents affirm that Sharia court decisions must align with the Nigerian Constitution, and any sentence in conflict with federal laws is subject to appeal and nullification.

Although The FactCheckHub could not independently verify the existence of any individual named Zainab Muhammadu facing trial in Zamfara State, the state government has officially denied the claim.

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In a statement released on May 20, 2025, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson to Governor Dauda Lawal, described the report as “mischievous fake news.” While condemning the publication as an example of yellow journalism, he called on security agencies to investigate the source of the report and take legal action against those responsible for disseminating it.

“This situation exemplifies yellow journalism that we must all denounce, we call on all media platforms to uphold ethical standards and refrain from fueling division through falsehoods,” the statement read in part.
This was also reported by multiple media platforms including Premium Times, Punch, NigeriaInfo FM, Radio Nigeria, Guardian and Leadership.

THE VERDICT

The claim that the image shows Zainab Muhamadu who faces trial in Zamfara State for converting from Islam to Christianity is MISLEADING and FALSE. The lady in the image is an American-based model and content creator while the Zamfara State Government also debunked the report, describing it as a “mischievous fake news.”

Can holders of a masters degree obtained in France apply for citizenship after two years of residency?

Fatimah Quadri
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Can holders of a masters degree obtained in France apply for citizenship after two years of residency?

AN X user, @OIuwatosin, has claimed that anyone with a master’s degree obtained in France and two years of legal residency in the country can apply for French citizenship.

The post read:

Reminder that if you obtain a Master’s Degree (or higher) in France, you only need 2 years of legal residency, after which you can apply for citizenship.
You’ll need B2 French proficiency (2 years should be enough to have this), stable income (getting a job is the challenge here, considering it’s hard to fire, it’s hard to hire) and no criminal conviction.

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The post has garnered over 1.5 million views alongside more than 16,000 likes, plus over 5,000 bookmarks and over 2,300 reposts as of May 21, 2025.

CLAIM

Anyone with a Master’s degree obtained in France can apply for citizenship after two years of legal residency.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MOSTLY TRUE, according to official records.

Under French naturalization laws, the general requirement is that a foreign national must legally reside in France for five continuous years before applying for citizenship.

However, this duration is reduced to two years for individuals from Non EU/ EEA countries who have successfully completed at least two years of higher education in France and obtained a diploma awarded by a French institution.

Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. Insert: MOSTLY TRUE verdict.
Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. Insert: MOSTLY TRUE verdict.

This provision is enshrined in Article 21-18 of the French Civil Code, which states that:

“The residency requirement mentioned in Article 21-17 is reduced to two years when the foreigner has successfully completed two years of studies in a French higher education institution in order to obtain a diploma delivered by the French state.”

This means that holders of a Master’s degree (or higher) from a French university, having studied in France for at least two years, are eligible to apply for citizenship after two years of legal residence, provided other criteria are met.

These criteria include:

  • Proficiency in French at B2 level, as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Applicants must present a certificate from an approved language test, such as the DELF or TCF.

  • Stable and sufficient income: Applicants must prove they have a regular source of income and are financially independent. This often includes showing employment contracts, tax returns, or payslips.

  • Good moral character and clean criminal record: Any significant criminal offense may lead to rejection of the application.

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While obtaining the degree can fast-track the process, experts note that securing a stable job in France is often a challenge, as French labour laws make it difficult to dismiss employees. This results in employers being more cautious when hiring.

However, there are other ways to acquire French nationality as listed here.

THE VERDICT

The claim that anyone with a Master’s degree obtained in France can apply for citizenship after two years of legal residency is MOSTLY TRUE; official records show that this is one of the means to acquire French nationality. However, they must also meet other requirements like B2-level French proficiency, stable income, and a clean criminal record.

Nigerian presidency falsely identify Cardinal Farrell as Vatican City Secretary of State

Abdullahi Muritala
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Nigerian presidency falsely identify Cardinal Farrell as Vatican City Secretary of State

THE Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and one of his media aides, Bayo Onanuga, have posted images alongside a claim that the president had a dinner in Rome, Italy with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State hours before the inauguration of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV.

Onanuga disclosed this in an X post on May 17, 2025, as Tinubu joined other world leaders for the inauguration ceremony of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State.

His post, shared alongside the two images, read:

“Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State to The Vatican, hosted President Bola Tinubu to dinner some two hours after Tinubu arrived in Rome on Saturday”

Onanuga’s post has generated significant traction on the X platform with over 350,000 views and more than 2,000 likes, over 900 comments with over 600 reposts as of May 19, 2025.

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President Tinubu also shared the same images with similar caption via his official X handle: @officialABAT, though now deleted.

The FactCheckHub observed that the claim was generating controversies online, especially regarding the identity of the cardinal mentioned in the X posts, hence why we verify the images.

 

CLAIM

Images show the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, with the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

THE FINDINGS

Checks by The FactCheckHub show that the person in the images is not Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, but Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life of the Catholic Church.

x post of the president Media Aide retrieved Inserted MISLEADING Verdict.
Screenshot of the X post made by Bayo Onanuga. Insert: MISLEADING verdict.

President Tinubu attended the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City.

Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, President of the Commission for Confidential Matters, President of the Committee for Investments. PHOTO CREDITS: Vatican Press.
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, President of the Commission for Confidential Matters, President of the Committee for Investments. PHOTO CREDITS: Vatican Press.

To verify the identity of the person in both images, our researcher analysed the images using Google Reverse Image search tool. When he subjected the image to Google search, the results show that the person in both images is  Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, President of the Commission for Confidential Matters, President of the Committee for Investments, as found here and here.

Prior to the inauguration event of Pope Leo XI, Tinubu met with Cardinal Farrell in Rome. The Nigerian president also met with other Catholic bishops and a notable Nigerian opposition figure, Peter Obi at the event.

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Similarly, when our researcher googled the name Pietro Parolin which was mentioned in Onanuga’s X post, the results revealed a different person.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin. PHOTO CREDITS: www.vaticannews.va
Cardinal Pietro Parolin. PHOTO CREDITS: www.vaticannews.va

Further checks show that Pietro Parolin is a cardinal and the Vatican’s Secretary of State, as seen here, here and here. Thus, the person Tinubu and Onanuga wanted to mention on the X posts alongside the images is Cardinal Farrell and not Cardinal Parolin.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the images show the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, with the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is MISLEADING; the images show Kevin Joseph Farrell, the prefect of the Dicastery of the Laity.

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