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Fact-checking Peter Obi’s claims on Channels TV

Zainab ABDULRASAQ and Nurudeen Akewushola
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Fact-checking Peter Obi’s claims on Channels TV

FORMER Anambra State Governor and 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, featured in an exclusive interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics hosted by Seun Okinbaloye on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

During the broadcast, he addressed key national issues, including his governance record and manifesto, insecurity in the country, the need for continued unity among the ethno-religious groups that make up the nation, and his growing popularity in the North.

He also made several claims regarding his past administration, foreign exchange reserves, exportation, election statistics, his overall administration performance, and his capability in the 2027 presidential election.

In this report, The FactCheckHub examines some of the verifiable claims made by the former governor and compares them with official records, statutory reports, and available data.

CLAIM 1

The Netherlands gets over 120 billion euros from the export of agricultural products every year.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is largely accurate but requires important context.

According to data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the Netherlands’ total agricultural exports were valued at €126.9 billion in 2024. This total includes both agricultural products produced in the Netherlands and agricultural goods imported from other countries and subsequently re-exported.

The CBS data show that in 2025, agricultural goods produced in the Netherlands accounted for €88.4 billion, while €49.1 billion came from re-exports, bringing the total export value to €137.5 billion.

Therefore, Obi’s claim that the Netherlands gets “over €120 billion every year from the export of agricultural products” is broadly correct when referring to the total value of agricultural exports. However, the figure includes a substantial amount of re-exported goods and should not be interpreted as revenue generated solely from agricultural products grown or produced within the Netherlands.

It is also worth noting that the Dutch economy does not retain the entire export value. CBS estimates that the Netherlands earned about €49 billion in export revenues from agricultural trade in 2025 after accounting for imported inputs and re-export activities.

VERDICT

The claim is MOSTLY TRUE, although it lacks the nuance that a significant share of the reported export value comes from re-exports rather than products produced entirely within the Netherlands.

CLAIM 2 

Ethiopia is making over $1bn from the export of coffee.

FINDINGS

According to Business Insider Africa, Ethiopia’s coffee export revenue has been on an upward trend for a few years now, going from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $1.43 billion in 2024.

This growth continued last year when export earnings jumped to $2.65 billion, before climbing to a record $3 billion during the previous fiscal year, which ended on July 7.

VERDICT

The claim is TRUE. This is because the figure is higher according to publicly available data.

CLAIM 3 

Kenya is making half a $500 million from the export of flour

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

According to Tridge, an exchange platform that provides transactional details of cross-border trading of wholesale foods, as of 2023, Kenya ranked #49 in global exports of Wheat Flour. It accounts for approximately 0.21 per cent of the total global export value of Wheat Flour, with an export value of 13,928,639 USD. This figure was also corroborated by Wits.

The previous year’s exports were lower, with $774, 443 and $758, 868 in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

VERDICT

The claim is False. Data from Tridge and Wits show the figures are lower.

CLAIM 4 

Obi claimed he left $150M in Anambra

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is UNPROVEN.

It would be recalled that Obi handed over the leadership mantle of Anambra State to his successor, Willie Obiano, on March 17, 2014.

There have been several controversies surrounding the actual amount Obi handed over to Obiano. Obiano had denied inheriting $150 million after assuming office. However, there is no publicly available data or document that shows that Obi left such amount to his successor.

Data from Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO) website revealed that as at December 2013, Anambra State, under Obi’s leadership, owed N3,025,797,046.67 in domestic debt and a total sum of $30,323,574.40 in external debt.

Although the former chairman of Diamond Bank, Alex Otti, who is now the state governor, confirmed in 2017 that Obi left $150 million in three banks. However, there are no independent public records to validate this claim.

VERDICT

The claim is UNPROVEN. There is insufficient publicly available evidence to conclusively verify that Obi left exactly $150 million in cash or a dedicated fund when he exited office.

CLAIM 5

Tinubu Government bought 300 billion to buy planes

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is UNPROVEN.

Available reports confirm that the Tinubu administration acquired an Airbus A330 for the Presidential Air Fleet in 2024. However, the Federal Government did not publicly release a definitive purchase price.

Obi subsequently criticised what he described as ₦300 billion spent on a presidential jet, arguing that the funds could have been directed toward healthcare and other public services.

There is no publicly available official document showing that the government paid exactly ₦300 billion for the aircraft. However, there is evidence that the acquisition and associated costs could amount to a very large sum when converted to naira at prevailing exchange rates and when other costs are included.

VERDICT

The claim is unproven. Nigeria acquired a new presidential jet, but there is no publicly available evidence confirming Obi’s specific figure of ₦300 billion as the purchase cost.

CLAIM 6

South Korea has over $400bn in reserves.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is TRUE.

According to official data published by the Bank of Korea and financial tracking metrics from Trading Economics, South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves first crossed the $400 billion benchmark in 2018. As of June 2026, South Korea’s foreign reserves stood at $427.4 billion.

VERDICT

The claim is TRUE. Data from the Bank of Korea confirms that South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves stand at over $400 billion.

CLAIM 7

Obi claimed all the commissioners who served under him in eight years were Muslims and were from the North.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MOSTLY TRUE.

Obi’s full statement reads: “Most governors choose their ADC, who is the closest person from their home. My ADC is from Kaduna and is a Muslim. ADC was a Muslim, still a Muslim…All the commissioners that served with me in the eight years that I was in the office were Muslims. They may not actually be Muslims but from the North.”

During his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, Obi’s executive cabinet members and commissioners were mainly indigenous Anambra indigenes and from the South-East region.

Reports by Vanguard and ChannelsTV, including cabinet reshuffles, list key commissioners such as Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna (Budget & Economic Planning / Chief of Staff), Callistus Ilozumba (Works), Azuka Enemuo (Local Government), Dr. Michael Egbebike (Environment), and Peter Afuba (Justice). They were all from the South-East.

While Obi pointed out during the interview that his Aide-de-Camp was a Muslim and northerner, his assertion that “all the commissioners” who served under him were Muslims or Northerners is not correct, as aides-de-camp are not regarded as commissioners.

Meanwhile, speaking with The FactCheckHub, the national coordinator of Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, clarified that the statement was a slip of tongue. He said Obi wanted to refer to his ADC who was a Muslim, not all the commissioners that worked with him.

“He is referring to the ADC that worked with him. It is in the public domain, and he has said it over and over again. The man is a Muslim from my own state, and we all know that the majority of Anambarians are Christians. Mr Peter Obi worked with Christians who are Anambarians. The person he is referring to is Mr Mohammed. I know him personally is a Muslim.

“If a Christian brother can take a Muslim brother to be behind him, to protect him, it speaks volumes. That is the quality in which Mr Obi is made of. He is someone who is detribalised. He doesn’t believe in tribalism; neither is he a bigot. He picked someone from Kano to be his ADC. It is a slip of tongue,” he clarified.

Further checks show that Obi later corrected what appeared a slip of the tongues when he spoke with Arise News on July 28. He clarified that he was referring to the commissioners of police who worked with him during his eight years tenure.

They include John Haruna from Taraba; Amusa Bello from Kwara; Philemon I. Leha from Adamawa; Mukhtari Ibrahim from Kano; Bala Magaji Nasarawa from Kebbi; and Usman Akila Gwary from Adamawa. Even though all of them are not Muslims, they are all from the northern part of the country.

VERDICT

The claim by Obi that all the commissioners who worked with him were from the North and mostly Muslims is MOSTLY TRUE when understood in the context he later clarified on Arise TV.

Available records show that the commissioners of police who served in Anambra during his tenure were from the North and mostly Muslims. However, his comments were initially ambiguous because the word ‘commissioner’ is commonly understood in Nigeria to mean a cabinet member appointed by a governor, not a police commissioner posted to a state.

CLAIM 8

Obi claimed he won the South East zone with an average of 80 per cent in the 2023 election.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is TRUE.

According to the official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 presidential election, Obi won all five states in the zone.

A state-by-state breakdown of his performance in the South-East shows that Enugu had 91.4 per cent, Anambra had 95.2 per cent, Abia had 88.4 per cent, Ebonyi had 80.4 per cent and Imo had 77.1 per cent.

Analysis published by PRNigeria confirms that his victory across all five states in the zone comfortably averaged above 80 per cent.

VERDICT

The claim is TRUE. Official INEC election data confirms that Obi secured 89.62 per cent of the overall vote share across the South-East, comfortably exceeding his 80 per cent claim.

Note: There has been a correction to claim 7 after Obi clarified he is referring to the commissioners of police that worked with him.

No, images do not show bandits killed in Zamfara

Nurudeen Akewushola
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No, images do not show bandits killed in Zamfara

A Facebook user, Kalipso Olu Omo, shared images purportedly showing the bodies of bandits killed during a recent military operation in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The images, which appear to be satellite or aerial photographs, were posted alongside claims that they depict terrorists neutralised by Nigerian troops during ongoing counter-banditry operations in northwestern Nigeria.

He posted the images on July 9 with a caption: “A good numbers of Terrorist Bandits were neutralized yesterday in Gumi LG. Keep the good work Nigerian Military.”

The claim has been amplified by multiple accounts as seen here and here on Facebook amid growing public interest in military operations against armed groups in Zamfara, one of the states worst affected by bandit attacks.

CLAIM

Images show bandits killed during a Nigerian military operation in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

screenshot of the viral post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

A reverse image search conducted by The FactCheckHub traced the images to South Africa, where they were originally shared in connection with a police operation against illegal mining activities.

Checks show that the same photographs were published by the verified Facebook account of the South African Police Service (SAPS) on July 7, 2026.

According to SAPS, the images documented a raid carried out at the Losberg Kloof Mine in Westonaria, Gauteng Province, during which 217 suspects were arrested. Authorities said some of those arrested were undocumented migrants from neighbouring countries, including Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

The operation formed part of an ongoing law enforcement campaign targeting illegal mining and related criminal activities across Gauteng.

Further review of the SAPS post shows that the individuals visible in the photographs were arrested suspects assembled by security officials and not dead bodies resulting from a military operation.

Although the Nigerian military recently announced major successes against bandits in parts of Zamfara State, including Gummi Local Government Area, there is no evidence linking the viral images to those operations.

The photographs predate the viral claim and originate from an entirely different country and context.

VERDICT

The claim that the viral images show bandits killed in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State is FALSE. They were taken during a South African police operation against illegal mining activities in Westonaria, Gauteng Province, where 217 suspects were arrested.

No evidence Tinubu lives in France, governs Nigeria remotely

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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No evidence Tinubu lives in France, governs Nigeria remotely

A VIRAL post circulating on social media claims that Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is residing permanently in France and governing the country remotely.

The claim was posted by an X user, @ReezaySA, with the caption: “Just found out that the President of Nigeria is living in France (Not on a vacation) living there and is running the country Virtually.”

As of July 22, 2026, the post has garnered over 5.9 million views, 17,000 reposts, over 274,000 likes, and thousands of comments. Because of the virality, The FactCheckHub deems it worthy of factchecking.

READ: Fact-checking Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech

CLAIM

The President of Nigeria lives in France and governs the country virtually.

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is UNPROVEN.

Tinubu’s official residence and operational seat of power remain at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. While social media posts suggest he lives abroad, The ICIR travel tracking data and verified news coverage confirm he resides in Nigeria and regularly conducts executive governance in person.

The ICIR foreign travel tracker shows that Tinubu has travelled to France only twice in 2026, first on January 4 and later on May 3. His other foreign trips in 2026 include visits to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on January 11; Ankara, Turkey on January 26; London, United Kingdom on March 17; Nairobi, Kenya on May 11; and Kigali, Rwanda on May 13.

Furthermore, official records show that the president has consistently presided over in-person state functions and executive meetings at the State House in Abuja.

Few of these are: on February 17, 2026, he physically attended the Gathering of National and Religious Leaders Summit on Health, organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Abuja.

ThisDay reported on April 30, 2026, that the president presided over a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers in the State House.

More recently, on June 12, 2026, Tinubu delivered his annual Democracy Day national address from Abuja. Later that month, on June 29, 2026, Punch reported he swore in commissioners for the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and National Population Commission (NPC) before presiding over another FEC meeting.

Speaking to The FactCheckHub, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dismissed the claim, confirming that Tinubu lives inside the Villa and is currently in the country.

READ ALSO: Old video of APC chieftain saying Tinubu can only win 2027 through rigging resurfaces online

Onanuga clarified that official announcements are always issued whenever the president travels abroad, and the absence of such notices indicates his presence at Aso Rock.

VERDICT

The claim that President Bola Tinubu lives in France and governs Nigeria virtually is UNPROVEN. There is no evidence to support the narrative. Travel-tracking data from The ICIR shows he has visited France only twice in 2026, and official documentation confirms he continues to carry out his duties in person at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

No, Mbappé did not win FIFA World Cup at age 18

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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No, Mbappé did not win FIFA World Cup at age 18

A POST circulating on social media claims that French professional football player Kylian Mbappé won the FIFA World Cup at the age of 18.

The post was made in response to a comment by Nigerian musician Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu, popularly known as Odumodublvck, who was praising Spanish football sensation Lamine Yamal ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

“IMAGINE YAMAL WITH THE WORLD CUP AT 19 WOW,” Odumodublvck wrote in a post on July 17.

Reacting to the post, an X user @LouieDi13 posted: “Mbappe collect am at 18”

As of July 20, 2026, the post has generated over 1.1 million views, 3,000 reposts, and 28,000 likes.

READ: Did Nigeria fail to qualify for FIFA World Cup during Buhari presidency?

CLAIM

Kylian Mbappé won the FIFA World Cup at the age of 18.

Screenshot of the viral post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

The original post was published two days ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finaL, which featured 19-year-old Spanish winger Lamine Yamal going head-to-head with Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Following the online exchange, the final was played, and Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time thanks to a 106th-minute strike by Ferran Torres, securing Spain’s second World Cup title.

According to records compiled by FIFA, Kylian Mbappé was born on December 20, 1998. He won the FIFA World Cup with the French national team during the tournament in Russia, where France defeated Croatia 4–2 in the final.

Further search by The FactCheckHub revealed a review by The Economic Times stating that the final match took place on July 15, 2018. Based on his date of birth, Mbappé was exactly 19 years and 207 days old when he lifted the trophy, not 18.

READ ALSO: Video does not show Tinubu shaking hands with Super Eagles after 2025 AFCON

Mbappé nevertheless made history during the competition. He became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Brazilian legend Pelé achieved the feat in 1958 and was one of the standout performers of the tournament.

While he won the World Cup as a teenager, the available records confirm that he was 19 years old, not 18.

VERDICT

The claim that Kylian Mbappé won the World Cup at age 18 is FALSE. Official tournament data compiled by FIFA shows that he was 19 years old when France won the tournament in July 2018.

Video does not show Nigerian troops neutralising Oyo kidnappers

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Video does not show Nigerian troops neutralising Oyo kidnappers

A POST circulating on social media claims that the Nigerian military killed and captured several bandits during the rescue operation that secured the release of abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The claim was shared by an X user, @Hon_Jesugbemi, on July 11, 2026, alongside a video showing armed men, military vehicles and weapons allegedly recovered during the operation.

The user captioned the post: “During the rescue of the victims, some bandits were killed while others were captured alive. Kudos to Nigerian army and others.”

The post gained traction shortly after the pupils and teachers were released, attracting thousands of views and engagements.

CLAIM

Video shows the Nigerian military killed and captured bandits during the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

viral social media post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

On May 15, 2026, gunmen abducted pupils and teachers from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. After spending 56 days in captivity, the victims were released, with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announcing their freedom on July 10, 2026.

However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the video attached to the viral claim has no connection to the rescue operation.

A reverse image search conducted on keyframes extracted from the footage traced the video to reports about military operations carried out by the Malian Armed Forces against terrorist groups in the regions of Gao, Sévaré and Anéfis in Mali.

Images from the scene shown in the footage had earlier been published by FATA Media, a Burundian media platform, on Facebook on July 4, 2026, before the release of the Oyo pupils. The accompanying caption, translated with the aid of Google Translate, stated that the weapons shown in the video were seized by Malian forces during clashes with armed groups in the affected areas.

The post explained that Mali continues to face significant security challenges from terrorist organisations and armed insurgent groups, prompting military operations across several parts of the country.

No evidence was found linking the footage to Nigeria, the rescue of the Oyo pupils and teachers, or any operation conducted by the Nigerian military.

VERDICT

The claim that the video shows bandits killed or captured by the Nigerian military during the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State is FALSE. The video has been online before the rescue operation.

Old video of APC chieftain saying Tinubu can only win 2027 through rigging resurfaces online

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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Old video of APC chieftain saying Tinubu can only win 2027 through rigging resurfaces online

A POST circulating on social media claims that the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently stated that President Bola Tinubu could only win the 2027 presidential election through rigging.

The post is accompanied by a video clip of former Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

It was shared by an X user, @AndrewOkere, with the caption: “Bola Tinubu can only win in 2027 through rigging. – APC Vice Chairman Lukman.”

As of July 17, 2026, the post has generated over 12,800 views, 325 reposts, and 500 likes, with people believing the clip to be recent.

READ: No, helicopters with banners flying over South-West are for Navy anniversary, not APC campaign

CLAIM

APC Vice Chairman recently stated that Bola Tinubu can only win the 2027 election through rigging.

Screenshot of the viral post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

A keyframe search of the video in the post done by The FactCheckHub reveals that the footage is an excerpt from an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.

A review of the original interview published on June 13, 2024, by Channels TV shows that the interview did not take place recently; it was over two years ago, during a programme marking 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria.

However, as of the time of the interview, Lukman had already resigned from his position as the national vice chairman (North-West) of the APC.

READ ALSO: Rufai Oseni amplifies misleading claim about Pantami crying over APC ticket

During the broadcast, Lukman was talking about the overall performance of the party and how citizens would not vote for the party due to how difficult things were in the country.

VERDICT

The claim that the APC Vice Chairman said Bola Tinubu can only win the 2027 election through rigging is MISLEADING. The video used to support the claim is an old broadcast from June 13, 2024, and the man in the video was a former member of the APC.

Old photo falsely portrays newly commissioned University of Ilesa Law Faculty building

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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Old photo falsely portrays newly commissioned University of Ilesa Law Faculty building

A POST circulating on social media claims that a photograph showing a yellow, weathered building is the Faculty of Law recently commissioned by Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, in Ilesa.

The post was shared by a Facebook account, Tunmise Reformer, on July 15, with the caption: “Osun State University, Faculty of Law as commissioned by Demola Adeleke in Ilesha yesterday…”

As of July 18, 2026, the post has generated reactions and comments from users debating the state of the infrastructural development at the university.

The post also surfaced here and here.

READ: Video does not show Osun governor, Adeleke dancing half-naked

CLAIM

Photo shows the Faculty of Law of Osun State University recently commissioned by Governor Ademola Adeleke in Ilesa.

Screenshot of the post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the post is MISLEADING.

A reverse image search done by The FactCheckHub reveals that the building in the photograph is not part of Osun State University. Instead, it is the Faculty of Law building at the University of Ilesa (UNILESA) in Osun state.

Punch and other media outlets reported that on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Governor Ademola Adeleke visited the UNILESA campus to inaugurate six landmark projects. The commissioned projects included a reconstructed internal road network, new student hostel facilities, a newly remodelled Faculty of Law annex building, and Faculty of Public Health building.

READ ALSO: Old video of domestic homicide in Osun recirculates online

Kaothar Tajudeen, a student of English Language and Education at the University of Ilesa, confirmed to The FactCheckHub that the picture as portrayed by the poster is old. She further sent pictures taken on July 18, 2026, to back her statement.

The top image is the remodelled Faculty of law building according to the claim, while the one below it is the image of the faculty of law building, Unilesa, gotten by The FactCheckHub as of July 18, 2026
The top image is the remodelled Faculty of Law building according to the claim, while the one below it is the image of the faculty of Law building, Unilesa, gotten by The FactCheckHub as of July 18, 2026

A visual analysis of the recent photograph compared to the one shown in the viral post shows that the Facebook poster used an outdated image of the facility before it underwent the recent infrastructure upgrade and remodeling by the state government.

Furthermore, the user misidentified the institution as Osun State University instead of the University of Ilesa.

VERDICT

The claim is MISLEADING. The photograph does not show the current state of the Faculty of Law building recently commissioned by Governor Ademola Adeleke. The building belongs to the University of Ilesa, not Osun State University, and the viral post used an old image taken before the facility was renovated and remodelled.

No, Peter Obi did not steal another person’s photo from Berlin roundtable

Nurudeen Akewushola
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No, Peter Obi did not steal another person’s photo from Berlin roundtable

FOLLOWING his participation in a roundtable session organised by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Berlin on July 13, presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, shared four photographs from the event on his social media platforms.

However, one of the images appeared unusually processed, prompting speculation online that Obi never attended the event and that the photographs were artificially generated.

Amid the controversy, an X user, @enitandev, shared an altered version of the photographs in which a white man appeared in the position occupied by Obi in the original image.

The user wrote: “Dear Saint @PeterObi. It has gotten this bad that you are stealing other people’s pictures and editing them.

“The cleanest and most honest politician of all time is posting fake pictures of an event he didn’t attend. Clock it.”

As of July 18, 2026, the post had generated over 400 reposts and more than 600 likes.

CLAIM

Peter Obi used fake or AI-generated photographs to falsely claim he attended an ECFR event in Berlin.

screenshot of the viral misleading picture shared to claim Obi did not attend the ECFR program

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

Checks were conducted using facial recognition search tools. The supposed ‘original’ version circulated by critics, which replaced Obi with an unidentified white man, yielded no verifiable records linking the individual to the event. This suggests the image was digitally altered or generated.

A visual examination of the edited image also reveals inconsistencies. In one frame showing participants seated during the discussion, most attendees appear naturally engaged in the session and unaware of the camera. By contrast, the man inserted in the altered version appears unusually positioned and posed for the photograph, creating the impression that he was superimposed onto the image.

The rest of the speakers appear to focus on the discussion while the man inserted appears to be posing for camera

More importantly, independent evidence confirms that Obi attended the event.

The FactCheckHub found that on July 13, ECFR Africa shared a lower-quality version of one of the disputed photographs, showing Obi and other participants posing after the session. This indicates that the photograph originated from a real event and was not fabricated.

Low quality version of the image shared by ECFR Africa on July 13.

Further checks by The FactCheckHub confirmed that Peter Obi attended the event. A statement addressing the controversy was published on the official X account of ECFR Africa, which The FactCheckHub cross-checked and verified as authentic through links provided on the European Council on Foreign Relations’ official website. The statement read:

“In the past days, numerous concerns were raised on social media concerning the authenticity of images that were taken at an ECFR event, hosted by the ECFR Africa programme, and Mr Peter Obi being one of the attendees.

We hereby expressly confirm that the event with Peter Obi took place on 13 July 2026 at our Berlin office. It was an informal exchange with selected guests on Mr Obi’s vision on the future of Nigeria.

We distance ourselves from all allegations that have been directed at us on social media and via e-mail in recent days.”

The statement was signed by Alex Vines, Director of the ECFR Africa Programme.

Further verification by The FactCheckHub also identified video footage of Obi speaking at the event. The footage, shared by @NjenjeMedia on July 17, 2026, shows him discussing Nigeria’s democratic development beyond 2027, international relations, economic growth, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

While one or more of the photographs shared by Obi may have been enhanced to improve image quality, there is no evidence that the event itself was fabricated.

The controversy is similar to an incident reported by The FactCheckHub in January 2026 involving a photograph from President Bola Tinubu’s meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris. That image attracted criticism after social media users noticed a Grok watermark.

Presidential aide Temitope Ajayi later explained that the photograph had been enhanced using AI tools to improve image quality after being taken on a mobile phone, not generated from scratch.

Modern AI tools can enhance photographs by improving sharpness, lighting, resolution, and background quality without altering the underlying event captured in the image.

VERDICT

The claim that that Peter Obi fabricated or AI-generated photographs to falsely claim attendance at an ECFR event in Berlin is MISLEADING. Independent evidence, including photographs released by ECFR, a statement from the organisation, and video footage from the event, confirms that Obi participated in the session. While some images may have been digitally enhanced, the event itself took place and Obi was present.

US court suspends Trump administration’s visa policy targeting fact-checkers, others

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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US court suspends Trump administration’s visa policy targeting fact-checkers, others

A United States federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump administration’s policy that targeted foreign nationals studying online disinformation, hate speech, and content moderation with visa denials and deportation.

Chief District Judge James Boasberg in Washington, an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama, ruled on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in favour of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research (CITR).

The judge found that the administration’s policy likely unlawfully burdens the speech of non-citizen researchers in the United States, in violation of the First Amendment.

The legal challenge was filed on behalf of the coalition by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Protect Democracy.

They argued that the policy, while framed as an effort to combat online censorship, was actually being used to execute a far-reaching campaign targeting independent researchers, fact-checkers, and advocates.

The policy was first announced by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in May 2025, banning foreign nationals deemed “complicit in censoring Americans.” Rubio asserted that the measures were designed to secure the free-speech rights of Americans by deterring foreign censorship.

However, the lawsuit argued that the policy quickly expanded beyond foreign government officials. In December 2025, the State Department targeted five prominent Europeans with visa bans, calling them figures of a “global censorship-industrial complex.”

The visa bans were issued shortly after European Union tech regulators fined Elon Musk’s social media company, X (formerly Twitter), 120 million euros ($140 million). The fine was the first major sanction under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which is designed to combat hate speech and disinformation.

Among the individuals hit by the State Department’s visa bans following the fine on Elon Musk’s platform were Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index. Both of their groups are members of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research.

The State Department also instructed consular officers to scrutinize visa applicants for evidence of their work in fields such as misinformation, disinformation, fact-checking, content moderation, trust and safety, and compliance.

In his decision, Judge Boasberg sided with the researchers, concluding that the policy unconstitutionally discriminates against one set of viewpoints in the public debate surrounding social media.

The judge wrote that the policy sweeps a substantial measure of protected research, reporting, advocacy, and association into the category of “foreign censorship.” He added that non-citizens could reasonably understand the policy to place their immigration status at risk simply because they work in content moderation.

According to the lawsuit, the visa policy had already caused an effect across the research and fact-checking community. CITR reported that several of its non-citizen members living in the US had stopped working on research projects, ceased public speaking engagements, and declined invitations to international conferences for fear of being denied re-entry or facing deportation.

Carrie DeCell, a lawyer for the coalition at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, welcomed the judge’s ruling in a statement. She noted that the decision “recognized the serious constitutional harms this policy is already causing.”

“This policy punishes researchers for work the public needs and the First Amendment protects,” she added.

Brandi Geurkink, the executive director of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research, also supported the decision.

She stated that the ruling prevents the government from using immigration threats to intimidate and censor independent researchers who provide a critical window into how digital platforms impact communities.

In December 2025, FactCheckHub reported that the United States introduced a new policy that would see H-1B visa applicants denied entry if they have worked in fact-checking, content moderation or online safety — fields considered crucial in combating misinformation.

Reuters reported that an internal memo issued by the US State Department directed consular officers worldwide to scrutinise applicants’ past roles for any involvement in what Washington now describes as ‘censorship’ of free speech in the US.

The directive, dated December 2, also instructs visa officers to review LinkedIn profiles and résumés of applicants and their accompanying family members to determine whether they have worked in fact-checking, compliance, moderation or misinformation-related roles.

Bangladesh flood video used to depict flooding in Lagos

Nurudeen Akewushola
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Bangladesh flood video used to depict flooding in Lagos

AN X user, @iamscrummy_, has shared a video showing a flooded roadway with the claim that it depicts the situation in Lekki, Lagos, following recent heavy downpours.

The video shows a major road near a bridge submerged in water, with several vehicles struggling to move through the flood.

The user shared the clip on July 14 with the caption: “Situation Report: Lekki, Lagos 💔😭”

As of July 14, 2026, the post had generated over 700 reposts and more than 1,000 likes.

CLAIM

The video shows recent flooding in Lekki, Lagos.

screenshot of the viral post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

The claim surfaced amid growing concerns over flooding in parts of Lagos following weeks of heavy rainfall. In recent weeks, several communities across the state have experienced flash floods caused by intense downpours, poor drainage systems, and rising water levels.

READ ALSO : No, video does not show recent flood disaster in Lagos

However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the viral video was not recorded in Nigeria.

The FactCheckHub subjected keyframes from the video to a Google Reverse Image Search. The results traced the footage to Banani, an upscale district in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

An earlier version of the video was posted on YouTube on July 12, 2026, with the caption “Banani Sea Beach”, a sarcastic reference to the severe flooding that affected the area. The same video also surfaced here with a similar caption.

Further checks show that the footage corresponds with reports by The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper, which reported that hours of heavy rainfall on June 11, 2026, left several parts of Dhaka, including Banani, submerged in ankle- to waist-deep water.

According to the report, about 100 millimetres of rainfall fell within nine hours, causing severe waterlogging, disrupting traffic, forcing businesses and schools to close, and exposing longstanding drainage challenges in the city.

Visual comparisons between the viral clip and images from news reports on the Dhaka flooding confirm that the location is in Bangladesh and not Lagos.

VERDICT

The claim that the video shows flooding in Lekki or anywhere in Lagos is MISLEADING. It depicts flooding in the Banani area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and is being falsely shared as a recent scene from Lagos.

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