A video showing the Nigerian presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announcing the reduction of number of people on entourages for federal government’s official travels has resurfaced online.
Ngelale is the Special Adviser to the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Media and Publicity.
The video is being circulated with a claim that Tinubu has reduced the nation’s cost of governance due to the nationwide protest.
A verified X user, @SabinaNkiru posted the video with a caption thus:
“Tinubu allegedly cuts cost of governance in response to the demands of the #EndBadGovernaceInNigerian protest.
Long police entourage from Abuja to Lagos and Item 7 for international travels removed.
It’s like FG not Tinubu doesn’t know the demands of the protesters.”
The video has garnered over 270,000 views, with more than 800 likes and over 500 reposts as of August 10, 2024.
Multiple X users shared the video with a similar narrative.
CLAIM
Nigerian presidency cuts cost of governance due to ‘hunger’ protest.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING, as the video has been online since January 2024.
When our fact-checker subjected keyframes obtained from the video to a Google reverse image search, the result shows that the video has been online since January 9, 2024.
The video showed the moment Ngelale announced a reduction of travel delegations for all Federal Government official trips within and outside the country during a press briefing at the State House in Abuja.
An earlier version of the video can be seen here and here.
Ngelale said the directive means a 60 per cent slash across board, noting that it affects all MDAs, including the president’s office, vice president, and first lady.
This came a month after the controversy that trailed the federal government’s spending of at least N2.7 billion to sponsor delegates that attended the United Nations’ annual climate summit, COP28 in Dubai where Nigeria’s delegation at the conference was 1,411.
Ngelale said the directive is part of cost-cutting measures of the Nigerian presidency, adding that the measure will affect the office of the president, vice-president, first lady, ministers and heads of agencies.
“President Tinubu has directed that all state entourages be drastically reduced. This is not a request. It is a directive. The office of the president and staff will be affected. Vice-president, appointees are affected,” part of the statement read.
Recall that hundreds of Nigerians took to the streets to demand economic and political reforms in a nationwide protest that started on August 1. The protests which began peacefully, later turned violent in many states leading to the deaths of some Nigerians and the destruction of properties.
Dubbed #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, the protest movement has won widespread support with an online campaign that called for the government to reduce fuel prices and tackle the cost-of-living crisis, among other demands.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the video shows Nigerian presidency announcing a cut in the cost of governance due to the nationwide protest is MISLEADING; the video has been online since January 2024.
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.
