A photo showing a young boy standing behind a podium has surfaced online with a claim that a boy from Enugu State built a hydro-metallic bomb.
An online blog, Igbo Times Magazine, posted the photo with a caption that read:
“Just In: Igbo boy from Enugu builds hydro metallic bomb capable of destroying 7 armored tank at once, 10 times more power than Russian MG4 missile
17 years old “Enugu Boy’s Hydro Metallic Bomb Allegedly Possesses Unprecedented Power, Reportedly Capable of Destroying 7 Armored Tanks Simultaneously, Surpassing Russian MG4 Missile”
In a shocking revelation, reports have emerged of a young Igbo boy from Enugu who has allegedly constructed a hydro metallic bomb that possesses an astonishing level of destructive power.
According to the claims, this bomb is said to be capable of obliterating not just one, but a staggering seven armored tanks simultaneously, surpassing the power of the renowned Russian MG4 missile.”
The claim also surfaced online with the similar captions here, here, here and here.
CLAIM
A boy from Enugu state built a hydro-metallic bomb.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show the claim is FALSE.
The FactCheckHub subjected the viral image of the boy to a Google Reverse Image search and the result shows that the image was posted by Daily Express in June 2023.
According to the news report, the boy is a British-Ghanaian, Harry Acheampong, who was a Children’s Parliament minister in the United Kingdom.
Furthermore, The FactCheckHub also subjected the section of the photo showing the purported bomb to a Google Reverse Image search and the result shows that the photo depicts a home-made ‘time bomb’ discovered near a mosque in Hangu in Pakistan in 2018 as reported by The Express Tribune.
THE VERDICT
The claim that a boy from Enugu State built a hydro-metallic bomb is FALSE; findings show that the viral photo shows a British-Ghanaian and not a boy from Enugu State.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via [email protected] and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
