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Several issues have been ongoing in Nigeria, but lately, Anthony Joshua’s accident, the US-Nigeria relationship, and insecurity have topped the list. Below is a summary of the top claims we verified this week.
- False narratives emerge after Anthony Joshua’s accident
DUBAWA has debunked multiple narratives ever since Anthony Joshua was involved in a motor accident in December 2025. Some Facebook users claimed that the British-Nigerian boxer had vowed never to revisit Nigeria. Another group of users shared pictures of President Bola Tinubu visiting him in the hospital. DUBAWA’s fact-checks showed they were untrue.
However, claims made about Joshua this week escalated. First, Facebook users shared a clip, saying that he has now retired from boxing.
Our verification revealed that the clip purportedly showing Joshua announcing his retirement from boxing is actually from his 2022 post-match conference following his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. Neither the athlete nor reputable news outlets have publicly announced his alleged retirement.
Also, Facebook users shared images of the boxer shedding tears at a cemetery. They claimed he was mourning two friends whose lives were lost in the accident.
Using reverse image search and AI detection tools, our findings revealed that the images were generated by artificial intelligence. Read more here and here.
- False! Norwegian government doesn’t award the Nobel Peace Prize, as Trump claimed
Also, this week, United States President Donald Trump accused Norway of not awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his efforts to end eight international wars.
As a notable figure, Trump’s claim quickly sparked debate among X users. However, DUBAWA stepped in with a fact check, which clarified the issue. It turned out that Trump’s claim that the Norwegian government chose a Nobel Peace Prize laureate is inaccurate.
On the contrary, a Nobel Peace Prize winner is determined by a committee established by the Norwegian parliament. After shortlisting the nominees, the committee selects a winner through a unanimous decision. We also uncovered additional details, which you will find in this article.
- False! Nigeria has not imposed travel ban on US nationals
Apart from the US carrying out its threat to strike terrorists in Nigeria, the US’s recent visa restrictions placed on some African countries (Nigeria inclusive) have been brewing some tensions in Nigeria.
Following the latest news on restrictions, an Instagram user posted that Nigeria has officially announced a ban on US nationals from entering the country.
Like other claims debunked this week, this also turned out to be false as the Nigerian government made no such announcement. Check how we drew our conclusions here.
- Broadcast alleging Turkey sponsors in Nigeria, not recent
On security, a Facebook user shared a video with the claim that Turkey is supplying ammunition to Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. Because this aligns with existing rumours of foreign influence in Nigeria’s security challenges, many Facebook users believed this video.
Upon fact-checking, we realised that the broadcast in question is not recent. It is an old television report from November 2019 by the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), which detailed accusations of Turkey providing sponsorship to Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. There is no recent report of a similar development. Read the full fact check here.
- No evidence ICC arrested Sheikh Gumi
A claim also emerged that the United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have arrested Sheikh Ahmad Gumi. Sheikh Gumi is a controversial Nigerian cleric, known for his unpopular opinions on security issues and on negotiating with bandits.
As of December 2025, neither Gumi nor any other Nigerian cleric accused of links to banditry or similar charges appeared on the official list of defendants and warrants updated by the ICC. Furthermore, a review of the official social media accounts for both the US State Department and the ICC revealed no documentation of any arrest involving Gumi. Read our findings here.
