AN X user, @ObiFran83678258, has posted a video on the social media platform with a claim that the Nigerian Army is heading out for an operation in Aba, Abia State.
In the 2-minute, 20 seconds footage, military armoured tanks and trucks were seen coming out of a building onto a tarred road. The vehicles seen in the video were eight in number, while a man with a northern accent could be heard speaking in the background.
The video post was captioned thus:
Part of the audio’s footage transcribed below read:
This is the coming out of special forces battalion moving for operation to Metele. May Almighty Allah protect you guys. this is the first [sic]. No lau lau! No lau lau!! [sic] this is yellow rocket, no lau lau! no lau lau!! this is the second [sic]. this is gallant TYC . This is Charlie Oscar, safe journey. No retreat, no going back, we are going there to finish them. No lau lau movement here. May almighty Allah protect you guys and bring you back…
READ: Ndume makes false claim about Nigeria’s military strength
CLAIM
Video shows soldiers heading to Aba for operation.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING!
The FactCheckHub observed that in the video, the person speaking in the background noted that the soldiers were going on a mission to Metele.
A Google search conducted on the keyword ‘Metele’ revealed that it is a village in Guzamala local government area of Borno state.
The search result also displayed multiple news reports from various credible local and international media platforms from 2018 which reported that over 70 soldiers where killed at a military base in Metele by Boko Haram insurgents.
READ:Â Skit video showing EFCC officials being harassed by military personnel goes viral
Although The FactCheckHub could not independently verify if the soldiers on the military operation were the same ones attacked but checks show that the video is not recent and it did not take place in Aba, as claimed by the X user.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the video shows soldiers heading to Aba for operation is MISLEADING; the video is NOT recent and shows soldiers going for operation in Borno State, not Aba.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].
