An image of a snake. Photo Source: The Whistler
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Claim: A viral video shows a giant python crossing a road, claiming it was shot in Edo State.
Verdict: False. The video has been digitally altered and does not accurately depict a giant snake in Edo State.
Full Text
In recent years, reptiles, particularly snakes, have been linked to several reported incidents and deaths in Nigeria, contributing to public fear and concern about safety in homes, farms, and rural communities.
As a result, many Nigerians remain anxious about how to protect themselves and properly fumigate their surroundings.
Recently, a Facebook blog, Portharcourt Specials, shared a video showing what appears to be a massive snake crossing the road lined with palm trees.
The blogger claimed the incident occurred at Okomu Palm plantation in Edo state.
The caption read, “Video of a giant python seen crossing the road at Okomu Palm plantation in Edo state.”
As of Apr. 28, 2026, the video had attracted 724 likes, 375 comments and 74 shares.
Several users appeared to believe the claim. A user identified as James Favour commented, “Python na new thing? I’ve seen bigger dat passed on my legs sef.”
Another user, Paul Edos, also supported the claim, writing, “That is not even big, I have seen a bigger one than this in the same Benin city. Omo eyes couldn’t believe it if someone had told me.”
However, others questioned the footage’s authenticity. A user identified as Nzerm Jason wrote, “No Python would be as long. This is an edited video”
The video can also be found here and here.
Given the potential for such content to mislead the public and cause unnecessary panic, DUBAWA conducted a fact-check.
Verification
Given the snake’s extraordinary size in the video, such an incident would likely attract media coverage. DUBAWA conducted a keyword search to determine whether any credible news outlets reported the alleged sighting of a giant snake crossing a road.
However, we found no recent reports from any credible news organisation.
A closer examination of the footage revealed several inconsistencies that suggest manipulation. DUBAWA observed that the snake appears noticeably thinner at the beginning of the video, but as it moves across the road, it suddenly becomes much bigger, then returns to the smaller size when it climbs over to the other side of the road. In reality, a snake does not abruptly change its body size within seconds while in motion.
We also observed that the skin pattern fades at different points of the clip. This kind of inconsistency strongly points to digital manipulation/resizing or AI compositing.
There are visible inconsistencies in how the snake interacts with the road surface. Its body does not align naturally with the ground, creating the impression that it was digitally added rather than filmed in real life.
To further assess the authenticity of the video, DUBAWA conducted forensic analysis using Hive Moderation. The results indicated a 90.2% likelihood that the video is AI-generated or contains deepfake elements.
A second analysis using Zhuque AI Detection Assistant produced similar findings, showing a 96.68% probability that the content was AI-generated.
Conclusion
The video showing a giant python crossing a road in Edo State is false. Evidence from visual inconsistencies and AI detection tools confirms that the footage has been digitally altered.
