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Claim that Fubara is wanted by EFCC resurfaces online

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Claim that Fubara is wanted by EFCC resurfaces online

A claim that the incumbent governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has resurfaced online.

The claim is being recirculated alongside an EFCC flier suggesting that the governor and other 58 persons are being wanted by the anti-graft agency.

READ: Did EFCC arrest former NDDC man, George Turnah?

Fubara was a former Accountant-General of Rivers State during the Nyesom Wike-led administration in the state.

An X user, @Possible1001, posted the flier alongside the claim. It read:

“BREAKING:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared the Rivers State Accountant-General, Fubara Siminayi, and 58 others wanted for N435 billion fraud.”

The post has generated over 480,000 views with more than 200 reposts, over 190 bookmarks and more than 1,000 likes as of May 15, 2024.

 

CLAIM

EFCC recently declared Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wanted.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

The claim retrieved from X. INSERT: Misleading verdict.
The claim retrieved from X. INSERT: Misleading verdict.

Fubara succeeded Nyesom Wike, who is the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as governor in May 2023. He was the accountant-general under Wike.

In May 2022, the EFCC declared Fubara and 58 others wanted over an alleged N435 billion fraud.

Fubara, and four other Rivers State government officials, among others, were wanted for suspected N117 billion fraud, alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office.

A month later, Fubara allegedly escaped an attempt by the commission’s officials to arrest him after he got elected.

The arrest attempt was reported to have taken place at the Port Harcourt International Airport as Fubara was returning from Abuja. He had travelled to the FCT to receive his certificate of return after emerging as the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state.

As the operatives moved towards the plane to arrest him, youths believed to be Fubara’s supporters, allegedly resisted the attempt and attacked them.

The face-off left some of the operatives injured, Fubara managed to escape arrest; this was condemned by the EFCC in a statement.

“Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, were on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, prevented from arresting one Sim Fubara, a suspect under the watch-list of the Commission, by thugs who breached the security of the Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State,” the statement read.

“The armed thugs assaulted operatives of the commission who demonstrated commendable restraint under extreme provocation.

“The commission condemns the blatant attempt to obstruct justice, warning that its civility should not be taken for granted.”

ALSO READ: Skit video showing EFCC officials being harassed by military personnel goes viral

Fubara was later defended by the Wike-led Rivers State Government at the time. In a statement by the state government, Wike threatened to charge the EFCC for contempt, claiming that before the incident, the Rivers State Government had gotten a subsisting court judgement against the EFCC that it could not investigate the state finances or its officers.

He also claimed that there was another judgement against EFCC by the PDP governorship candidate to enforce his fundamental human rights, which he said had not been set aside.

Fubara was not tried by the EFCC over the allegation up till he was sworn in as the governor. The governor is currently being protected by Section 308 of the Nigeria Constitution which grants immunity to sitting governors.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the EFCC recently declared Fubara wanted is MISLEADING; findings show that the announcement was made in 2022. However, the anti-graft agency was unable to investigate and tried him until he became the governor of Rivers state.

Nine open source tools for analysing satellite images

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
Nine open source tools for analysing satellite images

SATELLITE imagery has become an invaluable resource for journalists, providing verifiable proof of events, especially in regions where access is limited due to censorship or conflict.

This transparency combats disinformation and propaganda by offering concrete evidence that can debunk false narratives by state and non-state actors. Additionally, satellite imagery adds a visual dimension to stories, offering context and scale to events based on witness testimony or interviews, ultimately providing representation in media for those affected.

Satellite imagery refers to images of the Earth taken from satellites orbiting the planet. These satellites are equipped with various sensors for detecting visible light, infrared light, microwave radiation, and more to craft high-resolution images.

Since the technology emerged, journalists and media platforms have effectively integrated it into their stories or projects, enriching their reporting with verifiable visual evidence and contributing to a deeper understanding of the underlying issues.

For instance, The ICIR used satellite images to depict the over N2billion worth of fire-fighting trucks which were abandoned by the Nigerian government for almost 20 years. The technology was also used to illustrate the distance between where students were abducted in Kuriga in Kaduna state and likely place they might have been held captive.

In this explainer, we take a look at some of the tools that can be used for satellite imagery analysis.

  1. Bing Maps: The platform developed by Microsoft offers developers some of the highest resolution maps available, with resolutions up to 30cm/pixel and worldwide coverage. They use high-quality location data to provide popular features like Bird’s Eye imagery for coverage from multiple angles, as well as StreetSide. This true-to-life navigation experience puts virtual users on the ground.
  2. Eyes on Russia Map: The platform was developed by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) to collect and verify videos, photos, satellite imagery and other media related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The goal of the project is to provide the world with timely and reliable information concerning the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine and its people.
  3. Global Fishing Watch Map: This is an online tool for visualization and analysis of vessel-based human activity at sea. The map enables people to monitor global fishing activity from 2012 till date for more than 65,000 commercial fishing vessels responsible for a significant part of global seafood catch.
  4. Global Forest Watch: Based on satellite imagery analysis, the platform monitors tree gain and loss in real-time worldwide. It is a good resource for environmental journalists.
  5. Google Earth Engine: The tool combines a multi-petabyte catalogue of satellite imagery and geospatial datasets with planetary-scale analysis capabilities. It can be used to detect changes, map trends, and quantify differences on the Earth’s surface.
  6. Google Earth Pro: This is a free desktop mapping application with historical satellite imagery and GIS data capabilities.  It can be leveraged to view its extremely high-resolution satellite imagery, upload or download geospatial data in its native interoperable format (KML), and also find locations (e.g. for simple geo-coding)
  7. Myanmar Witness Fire Map: This platform developed the CIR uses satellite imagery, verified footage and NASA FIRMS data to document and investigate where buildings and villages have been destroyed by fire in possible human rights incidents.
  8. NASA Worldview: This is an online tool that lets you explore Earth through high-resolution satellite imagery, offering over 1,000 layers frequently updated with some images as recent as 3 hours after capture. You can visualize this data by overlaying layers and even download it for further analysis, making it valuable for time-critical applications like wildfire management, air quality monitoring, and flood response.
  9. Zoom Earth: This is an interactive weather map of the world. It enables users to explore the current weather and see forecasts for various locations through interactive maps of rain, wind, temperature, pressure and so on.

False claim about mRNA vaccines circulates on WhatsApp

Fatimah Quadri
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False claim about mRNA vaccines circulates on WhatsApp

A claim that the United States’ Supreme Court has declared that people who are vaccinated are no longer humans has been circulating on internet, particularly on WhatsApp.

The claim was contained in a video posted initially on TikTok but made its way into WhatsApp, an instant encrypted messaging platform. It had the inscription: “You are now classed as cattle Moo.”

READ: Ahmed Isah’s false claims about HPV vaccine go viral in Nigeria

The video was shared in multiple WhatsApp groups with a caption thus:

Breaking News ! All vaccinated persons are no more humans according to UN… if you took the covid-19 jab, consider yourself a cattle.

In the 134-second footage, woman could be seen reading from a piece of paper in a setting where she seemed to be addressing a congregation.

The audio transcription of the footage goes thus:

“In the United states, the supreme court has ruled that vaccinated people worldwide are products, they are now  patented goods, according to U.S law which can be verified. People who have been vaccinated no longer qualify as humans and therefore they can no longer be categorised as human beings. In essence, this means that those vaccinated are no longer subject to national or international laws. Since 2013, all people vaccinated with genetically modified MRNA’s are legally transhuman and legally identified as transhuman. They no longer enjoy any human or rights of a state. This applies worldwide because because GEN-POINT technology patents are under US jurisdiction and law, where they were registered.”

The woman in the footage noted that the law is another form of dividing people from each other while noting that humanity can be retained in whatever way possible. She also stated that whatever they have believed from the mainstream media such as climate change, global warming and carbons were not true.

Our fact-checker also spotted the same video on X. It was posted by @gani_jonathan  with the caption thus: “Did You get the covid vaccine? Listen to this.”

It has gone viral on many social media platforms including WhatsApp, TikTok and X, among others.

 

CLAIM 

United States identifies people vaccinated with mRNAs as patented products.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub shows that the claim is FALSE!

Screenshot of the video retrieved from WhatsApp. INSERT: False verdict.
Screenshot of the video retrieved from WhatsApp. INSERT: False verdict.

A keyword search on the words ‘Vaccine Transhuman US’ led us to some media reports including from Reuters, USA Today, and AP News, debunking this claim as far back as 2022 due to a misunderstanding of a 2013 ruling about specific genes that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered a decision about a patent challenge regarding genetic tests for specific genes that raise the risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer.

This patent had given a company a monopoly on a genetic test that involved isolating natural DNA strands and creating synthetic complementary DNA (cDNA) that mirrored the original isolated strands with slight alterations.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a type of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) that is necessary for protein production. Once cells finish making a protein, they quickly break down the mRNA. mRNA from vaccines does not enter the nucleus and does not alter an individual’s DNA.

READ: How Chris Oyakhilome spreads malaria vaccine conspiracy theories – Report

The court’s ruling did not hold that recipients of an mRNA vaccine are no longer human and are therefore eligible for patent protection.

The US Supreme Court’s decision concluded that while non-naturally occurring nucleic acids, such cDNA, may be eligible for patent protection, separated naturally occurring nucleic acids are not eligible.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the United States identifies people vaccinated with mRNAs as patented products is FALSE; the US Supreme Court ruled that only synthetically created complementary DNA (cDNA) can be patented.

Video does not show robbery scene in Abuja

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Video does not show robbery scene in Abuja

A video showing five unidentified men attacking motorists on a road has surfaced on social media with a claim that it depicts a robbery incident in Abuja.

The video has been shared by multiple users on social media, especially on Facebook and WhatsApp.

A Facebook user,  Sharon Ogbomwen posted the video with a caption that read:

“This happened at a traffic light somewhere in Abuja…”

The video has generated 800 reposts and more than 300 likes as of April 8, 2024.

 

READ: Video does NOT show unknown gunmen chasing policemen in Abuja

Another Facebook user, Akande Isaac Douroujaye posted also posted the same video with another caption thus:

“The frightening moment thugs waylaid folks waiting for traffic light to turn green in Abuja. Let d govt know dat l will rather disobey d traffic lights at night, than expose myself to risks like these!!!”

The claim has also surfaced here and here.

 

CLAIM 

Video shows a robbery scene in Abuja. 

 

THE FINDINGS 

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

Video purportedly showing the robbery scene in Abuja.

Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been facing the challenge of growing cases of robbery and other forms of criminality.

Our researcher subjected the keyframes in the video to a Google reverse image search. The result shows that the video has been online since 2022 and it involves an incident that happened in Botswana. 

An earlier and longer version of the video was published by this Botswanan YouTube channel, Mmegi Online, published on February 15, 2022 with a caption that read: “Thugs in Gaborone attack motorists.”

A keyword search on the internet following the hint revealed that Botswana’s health minister, Edwin Dikoloti, was among those whose cars were targeted by the thieves, the Botswanan Police confirmed.

The incident reportedly occurred around 8pm on February 12, 2022 near Total Filling Station in Broadhurst, Botswana.

The local police confirmed that the minister was using his personal Mercedes Benz car when the miscreants attacked him.

“The three men pounced on him, broke the driver’s window and scratched him with a sharp object on his hands and leg and escaped the crime scene. Luckily they did not steal anything from him but investigations into the matter are ongoing to locate and arrest the suspects. The minister was treated for minor injuries and was released the same evening,” the police statement reads. 

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the video shows a robbery scene in Abuja is MISLEADING; findings show that the incident happened in Botswana since 2022.

Did Ayra Starr record the biggest streaming day for African artist on Spotify?

Fatimah Quadri
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Did Ayra Starr record the biggest streaming day for African artist on Spotify?

AN X user, @Fouaddd_bk, has claimed that Ayra Starr recorded the biggest streaming day as an African artist on Spotify.

He stated that Ayra Starr had garnered over 6 million streams twice in the course of the week while noting that the feat was not recognised because she is a woman.

The claim read:

Ayra Starr just recorded the biggest streaming day on Spotify for an african artist w over 6 million streams twice this week! Oddly, y’all are silent. Is it a misogynistic oversight or because she’s a woman that her huge achievement is overlooked for trivial news?

The post has garnered over 150,000 views, with more than 900 likes and over 200 reposts as of May 10, 2024.

READ: Tems is not first Nigerian female singer to win Grammy Awards

Some X users had doubted the claim and sought for its accuracy or otherwise; thus prompting The FactCheckHub to verify the claim.

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe popularly known as Ayra Starr is a Nigerian singer and songwriter currently signed to Mavin Records. She is famous for her hit songs such as Rush, Bloody Samaritan, and Sability etc after coming into the limelight in 2021 with her first solo: Away.

 

CLAIM

Ayra Starr recorded the biggest streaming day for an African artist on Spotify.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub indicate that the claim is MISLEADING, as Burna Boy and Davido had previously surpassed her feat.

Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. INSERT: Misleading verdict.
Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. INSERT: Misleading verdict.

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that was initially launched in Sweden in 2006 and later launched in Nigeria in 2021. It gives instant access to its vast online library of music and podcasts.

In 2022, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu popularly called Burna Boy earned his biggest streaming day of all-time on Spotify on July 8, with 10 million listens following the release of his sixth studio album: ‘Love Damini.’

In 2023, David Adeleke known by his stage name Davido earned his biggest streaming day of all-time on Spotify on March 31 following the release of his fourth “Timeless,” with 8.7 million streams.

Also in 2023, Burna Boy earned his biggest streaming day of all-time on Spotify on August 25, with 13.7 million listens following the release of his seventh studio album, “I Told Them”, thus surpassing Davido’s feat.

READ: No! Video does not show Wizkid performing in Saudi Arabia

The album also earned the biggest streaming debut for an album by an African artist in Spotify history with 9.395 million listens.

Our fact-checker observed that the biggest streaming day is a personal feat for artist recognized by Spotify and not a categorized feat as stated by the claimant.

Ayra Starr recorded her biggest streaming day on Spotify on April 28, 2024 and not the biggest streaming day for an African artist.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that Ayra Starr recorded the biggest streaming day for an African artist on Spotify is MISLEADING; Burna Boy and Davido had previously surpassed her feat.

Microsoft, OpenAI announce $2 million fund to fight AI misinformation

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
Microsoft, OpenAI announce $2 million fund to fight AI misinformation

MICROSOFT and OpenAI have announced a $2 million Societal Resilience Fund to tackle AI misinformation and educate people around the world on the technology.

This is amid concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) may influence voters as many countries hold their elections this year.

In a joint statement released on May 7, 2024, Microsoft and OpenAI said the fund will be targeted at AI education and literacy among voters and vulnerable communities as several countries go to the poll this year.

The emergence of generative AI like ChatGPT has led to the proliferation of AI-generated “deepfakes”, it noted. Thus, the widespread accessibility of these tools which empower individuals to fabricate videos, images, or audio recordings featuring prominent political figures has compounded the issue.

READ: Despite policies, AI-tools still generate misleading election-related images – Report

“In a year when two billion people across the globe will vote in democratic elections, it is more important than ever to provide tools and information that will help people navigate an increasingly complex digital ecosystem and find authoritative resources,” both companies said in the joint statement.

They further explained that grants delivered from the fund will help several organizations, including Older Adults Technology Services from AARP (OATS), the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and Partnership on AI (PAI) to deliver AI education and support their work to create a better understanding of AI capabilities.

“The Societal Resilience Fund is a joint effort that follows through on public commitments that Microsoft and OpenAI have made via the White House Voluntary Commitments, and the Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in the 2024 Elections, in which we have committed to engage with a diverse set of global civil society organizations and academics and committed to support efforts to foster public awareness and all-of-society resilience. Our shared goals are to combat the growing risk of bad actors using AI and deepfakes to deceive the voters and undermine democracy,” the statement reads.

According to Microsoft, these grants are intended to create a better understanding of AI and its capabilities across society. For instance, OATS will apparently use its grant for training programmes aimed at those aged 50 and over in the U.S., covering the “foundational aspects of AI.”

They said the launch of the Societal Resilience Fund is a step that represents Microsoft and OpenAI’s commitment to addressing the challenges and needs in the AI literacy and education space and therefore reiterated their commitment to collaborate with organizations and initiatives that share the same goals and values.

Did Tinubu say he suffers heart attack anytime Chelsea loses?

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
Did Tinubu say he suffers heart attack anytime Chelsea loses?

A video purportedly showing the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying that he’s a supporter of Chelsea Football Club and he suffers a heart attack anytime the English club loses has surfaced online.

The claim was posted by an X account, @X_Dailly, on May 2, 2024 with a caption thus:

“Am a fan of Chelsea and I don’t like the way they are loosing,anytime they lose its gives me heart attack -President Bola Tinubu reveals.” 

It has generated multiple reactions online with many X users accusing the Nigerian president of misplaced priority amidst various challenges bedeviling the country. 

The post was reposted by another X user, @YabaLeftOnline before the later deleted it.

 

CLAIM

Video shows Tinubu saying that he suffers a heart attack anytime Chelsea loses.

 

THE FINDINGS 

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

Screenshot of the viral video purportedly showing Tinubu talking about Chelsea Football Club.
Screenshot of the viral video purportedly showing Tinubu talking about Chelsea Football Club.

The FactCheckHub analyzed the video and it shows traces of manipulation. The speech and lip gestures of the president do not also correlate in the video – a common feature of deepfake. 

Deep fakes are synthetic media, including images, videos, and audio, generated by artificial intelligence (AI) technology that portray something that does not exist in reality or events that have never occurred.

Furthermore, since the video carries the logo of Channels TV, our fact-checker reviewed previous videos of President Tinubu posted online by the television channel. This led us to the original video uploaded on March 29, 2024. 

The original footage highlights President Tinubu’s speech while breaking this year’s Ramadan fasting with traditional rulers and religious leaders at the Nigerian Presidential Villa in March 2024. 

When our fact-checker reviewed the full video, he couldn’t find anywhere in the footage when Tinubu talked about supporting Chelsea.

At the programme, Tinubu spoke about the significant role of religious leaders in shaping public opinion and promoting unity in the country and not about any football club.

 

THE VERDICT 

The claim that the video shows Tinubu saying that he suffers a heart attack anytime Chelsea loses is MISLEADING; the original video shows that he was admonishing traditional and religious leaders and NOT talking about any football club.

No! Peter Obi does not have doctorate degree

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
No! Peter Obi does not have doctorate degree

An X user, @LPLagosMedia, has claimed that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, has a doctorate degree.

The X user claimed that despite possessing a doctorate and other honours, the former governor decided to identify himself as a mere trader due to his simplicity.

READ: Is Peter Obi the first presidential candidate to give an account of his campaign expenses?

He posted thus:

“He’s a titled chief, but he doesn’t use the title. He has a Doctorate, but he doesn’t use the prefix ‘Dr’. He’s a Knight, but he doesn’t use the “Sir.” title. He’s His Excellency, but he doesn’t use the H.E. prefix. He is a Commander of the Order of the Niger, but he doesn’t use the suffix CON. He’s a billionaire, but he treats everyone with respect, regardless of class or age. He’s a Bank Boss and an astute business mogul, but he addresses himself as a trader. What manner of man is this? Despite all his noble laurels, he just goes by the name Mr. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” God bless Mr. Peter Obi”(sic).”

The claim has generated more than 180,000 views with over 2,200 reposts and more than 5,500 likes as of May 6, 2024.

CLAIM

Peter Obi has a doctorate degree.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

Our fact-checker ran a search on the internet but could not find anything on Peter Obi where he bagged a doctorate degree academically or was honoured with one.

A doctorate is the highest level of academic degree awarded by universities and institutions.

Ugbojiaku Chidimma, in a LinkedIn article, noted that doctorate, commonly known as a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), represents a significant academic achievement obtained through extensive research in a specific field.

“This rigorous process entails years of dedicated study, research, and completing a substantial doctoral dissertation. Earning a doctorate signifies high expertise, specialization, and a deep commitment to advancing knowledge within a particular discipline.

“In contrast, honorary doctorate degrees are those bestowed upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to society or achieved remarkable success in their respective fields. These honorary degrees do not require recipients to fulfil the typical academic requirements of a doctoral program.

“Honorary doctorate degrees allow universities and institutions to recognize and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements, leadership, philanthropy, or significant societal contributions. They serve as a mark of distinction and are intended to honour recipients’ accomplishments and positive impact on the world,” she wrote.

This was further explained in another article by Farooq Kperogi which was published by Daily Trust in 2012.

Therefore, based on public record, Peter Obi’s highest qualification is a Bachelor’s degree which he acquired at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1984. He obtained his secondary school certificate from Chris the King College, Onitsha in Anambra State.

The FactCheckHub reviewed Peter Obi’s public record on the Labour Party’s website and in his manifesto and we found out that he bagged several awards and honours which include Sun Newspaper’s Man of the Year (2007), ThisDay Newspaper’s Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria (2009), West Africa ICT Development Award for Governor of the Year (2010), Zik Leadership Prize (2011) but there was no mention of a doctorate on the record.

In 2018, a newspaper publication listed Obi as one of the dignitaries to be conferred with an honorary doctorate by Gregory University Uturu at its 3rd convocation ceremony. However, a subsequent report after the event revealed that Obi was not among the people who were conferred with the honour at the ceremony.

The people who were honoured at the ceremony are former lawmaker, Mao Ohuabunwa; veteran highlife music maestro and leader of Oriental Brothers International Band, Ferdinand Opara; former Assistant Police Commissioner, Chioma Ajunwa-Opara; the then President General of Peoples Club of Nigeria, Innocent Ekeh; and Managing Director of Urban Radio FM, Enugu, Chike Madueke.

When The FactCheckHub contacted the spokesperson of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Yunusa Tanko, he confirmed that Obi does not have a doctorate degree. He, however, said that Obi turned down offers from various universities who wanted to honour him with the degree.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that Peter Obi has a doctorate degree is FALSE; findings showed that he neither earned the academic doctorate nor possessed its honourary version.

Tinubu’s one year: A look at misinformation spread by his media team

Nurudeen Akewushola
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0
Tinubu’s one year: A look at misinformation spread by his media team

AS Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu clocks one year in office, one of the major turn-offs of his administration is the repeated spread of misinformation by his media team led by Ajuri Ngelale.

Being the official mouthpiece of the Nigerian president, the media team is charged with the responsibility of disseminating vital information regarding the government’s policies, directives and other developments through press releases and media appearances.

Since Tinubu became the president on May 29, 2023, his media team has made various misleading claims, thus sparking public outrage and undermining the administration’s credibility.

READ: #NigeriaDecides2023: Buhari’s aide Ajuri Ngelale makes false claims about disputed election in CNN interview

In this analysis, we take a look at some of the misleading claims made by the president’s media aides in the last one year.

 

Misleading Press Releases

Shortly after Tinubu was inaugurated as Nigerian president, he appointed Ajuri as Special Adviser on media and publicity. Before he joined Tinubu’s government, he was a senior special assistant on public affairs to the former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari and he has a history of sharing misinformation.

One of his major responsibilities is managing press releases for the president. Press releases are a major source of information for newsrooms and citizens generally and as such, they are expected to go through rigorous examination and verification to ensure that their contents are factual and not misleading.

In early September 2023 after Tinubu met with the leaders of the UAE, Ngelale issued a press statement claiming that the UAE authorities approved the immediate lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians and the immediate resumption of Emirates and Etihad flights to Nigeria.

A visa ban was placed on Nigeria in October 2022, as the UAE banned nationals of about 20 African countries including Nigeria from entering its borders.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” finalized a historic agreement on Monday in Abu Dhabi. The agreement has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers. As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government’’, Ajuri said.

Many Nigerians were excited upon hearing the news having come directly from the Presidency. Many news platforms also reported it but it would later turn out to be false. The UAE government itself debunked the claim before the presidency also came out for clarification.

ALSO READ: Tinubu makes false claim about Nigeria’s total population

Nine days after the misinformation regarding UAE, President Tinubu rang the closing bell of the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ) in the US.

After Tinubu rang the closing bell, Ngelale issued a press release on September 21, 2023 claiming that Tinubu was the first African leader to ring the closing bell of NASDAQ. This is not true.

An internet search showed that President Jakaya Kilwete of Tanzania had in September 2011 rung the NASDAQ closing bell – 12 years before Tinubu did it, thus showing lack of due diligence by the president’s official spokesman.

Announcing the appointment of the Director-General (DG) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ajuri issued a statement claiming that Zubaida Umar is the first woman to be appointed as the agency’s head. This was also false!

Findings showed that the first DG of NEMA, Oluremi Olowu is a woman. Olowu served from 1998 to 2002 after which she voluntarily retired to join politics. 

 

Onanuga’s misleading video on Peter Obi

On February 29, 2024, Bayo Onanuga who is the president’s Special Adviser on information and strategy posted a video on X with a claim that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, Peter Obi, was “making a case” for online fraudsters.

“Peter Obi makes case for Yahoo Yahoo boys. Incredible he could use one wrong to justify another. What a leader!” he posted.

In the 43-second clip, Obi is heard saying that the authorities were “chasing young boys with computers and say they are doing yahoo-yahoo when people are stealing billions, which we have as a government”.

But Onanuga’s claim is misleading because the video he shared had been cut in the middle to portray Obi as an advocate of online fraud. 

In the full video published on YouTube by Channels Television on February 26, 2024, Obi was commenting on the government’s clampdown on bureau de change operators (BDCs), calling the move ill-advised.

“Today, we spend more time chasing young boys with computers saying they are doing Yahoo Yahoo when people are stealing the billions, which we have as a government,” Obi added.

He also clarified that he was not excusing any crime adding that the priority should be on public officials looting public funds.

“I am not encouraging anybody to steal, but we’ll deal with those stealing our common resources first,” he noted.

CBN did not ban Opay, Palmpay, others

Fatimah Quadri
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0
CBN did not ban Opay, Palmpay, others

RECENTLY, the internet was abuzz with a claim that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has banned some financial technology companies due to their cryptocurrency involvement.

The claim, shared alongside an image of the CBN headquarters in Abuja, was posted by Tunde Ednut, a Nigerian blogger and social media influencer with over 4.1 million followers on Instagram.

The claim read:

Customers panic as CBN bans Opay, Palmpay, Kuda and others over cryptocurrency involvement.

The post has garnered over 73,000 likes and more than 4,400 comments as of May 4, 2024.

Ednut credited Punch newspaper as the source of the information.

READ: Claim that banks are seizing funds of unregistered community accounts is MISLEADING!

It will be recalled that in an effort to stop what it viewed as reported manipulation of the foreign exchange market and unlawful money transfers, the Nigerian government, acting through the Nigerian Communications Commission, blocked the websites of Binance and other cryptocurrency platforms in February 2024.

 

CLAIM

CBN bans Opay, Palmpay, others over cryptocurrency involvement.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING!

Screenshot of the claim retrieved from Instagram. INSERT: Misleading verdict
Screenshot of the claim retrieved from Instagram. INSERT: Misleading verdict.

The Punch, Nairametrics and other credible media houses reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria had stopped four fintech companies namely, Opay, Palmpay, Kuda and Moniepoint from onboarding new customers,

The mandate was connected to an ongoing evaluation of the fintech companies’ Know-Your-Customer procedures. These companies have been under investigation in recent months due to worries about money laundering and terrorism financing.

The necessary procedure of confirming and authenticating a client’s identity upon account establishment and on a regular basis is known as “Know Your Customer” or “Know Your Client.” To put it simply, banks need to make sure that their customers are who they claimed to be.

In December 2023, the CBN implemented a mandatory stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) measures, which kicked off in April 2024 requiring all customers to provide their Bank Verification Number or a national identification number (NIN) for account or wallet opening.

The order was issued after several high-profile fraud incidents raised concerns about the existing Know Your Customer (KYC) processes.

ALSO READ: Video showing PalmPay agents harassing debtors inside market is fake!

The media reports also highlighted that the directive coincided with the court order that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained to freeze at least 1,146 bank accounts owned by various individuals and companies allegedly involved in illegal foreign exchange transactions.

Further checks show that the texts (headline) on the Instagram image is different from what was reported in the media.

In conclusion, the CBN did not banned the four fintechs from operating in the country; though it directed them to stop onboarding new customers.

 

THE VERDICT

The claim that the CBN bans Opay, Palmpay, others over cryptocurrency involvement is MISLEADING; the CBN’s directive aims to stop the fintechs from onboarding new customers only, as it did not ban their operations in the country.

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