An illustration of armed bandits. Image source: Daily Trust.
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Claim: A Facebook user, @Samthrosky TV, shared a video alleging that bandits attacked a community, killing residents and causing people to flee in panic.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA found no evidence of a bandit attack. The video shows people moving quickly to avoid getting caught in the rain, not escaping violence.
Full Text
When a social media user picks up their phone and comes across clips suggesting that a massive assassination is taking place in their country or in a community not too far from them, the next logical step should be to verify whether the claim is true or not. Yet, far from the approach applied by fact-checkers or individuals who understand how misinformation spreads, many users consume and share such content without verification. This pattern often exposes them to misleading narratives that can take a toll on their well-being, depending on the immediacy and gravity of their responses.
This behaviour aligns with findings from a study conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which reported that nearly two-thirds of surveyed digital content creators (62 per cent) did not verify the accuracy of information before sharing it online. The study further noted that many of these creators assessed a source’s credibility primarily by the level of engagement it received.
Recently, a Facebook user, @Samthrosky TV, claimed (archived here) that bandits invaded a community and were actively killing residents, which caused people to flee.
The claimant shared a video showing people on motorcycles and a crowd running. A male voice in the background said, “See how bandits entered this community. Everybody began to run because the bandits were shooting guns and killing people in the community. Look at how everybody is running. Please, wherever you are, if you see these people, please run away.”
As of Jan. 12, 2025, the post had recorded 11,000 likes, 197 comments, 2,000 shares, and 200,000 views.
To gauge users’ reaction, DUBAWA reviewed the comments under the post to understand how users interpreted the claim.
@Yusuf Soba, wrote, “May God save Nigeria,” while @Dare Olaoye added, “Not until people learn to fight back. Running to where now? Look back, attack, collect the guns, and fight for your lives.”
@Zannah Reginald asked, “And the cameraman is standing there making videos?”
@Regin Ewa demanded more details about the post, asking, “Which community is this that has no name? Please stop sharing incomplete information.”
DUBAWA observed that the claimant did not mention the name of the community he claimed was under attack, and this leaves room for different interpretations. So, we decided to investigate whether the video was related to a bandit attack.
Verification
We split the video into keyframes using InVid and conducted a reverse image search. This led to a clearer version of the footage shared by the Facebook user @Rabiu Musa Buhari on Sept. 13, 2025 (archived here).
The video’s background audio included the sounds of vehicles and people moving quickly, but no gunshots were heard, contrary to the Facebook user’s claim. The man recording the video was also audible, and we deduced that he was speaking Hausa. He was trying to clarify the situation to those around him. His comment translated to, “Please do not think this is chaos; these are just people running to avoid being stuck in the rain.”
Visual cues, such as a dim and hazy sky, provided context for why people left the area quickly. The same video appeared on another Facebook account, which added only the caption “Subahanallahi”, an Arabic expression commonly used to convey amazement or awe.
We searched the web for news updates and found no credible reports or official statements supporting the claim of a bandit attack. The footage appears on only three accounts; the initial account frames it as a bandit attack, while the others share clearer versions that explain why the people were running.
A review of the Facebook account of @Samthrosky TV, who shared the main claim, showed a pattern of posting multiple videos with little or no explanation. Many of these posts include dramatic visuals but provide no details about the location or circumstances. This approach increases the risk of misleading viewers and shows how decontextualised content contributes to the spread of false, misleading, or exaggerated claims.
Conclusion
DUBAWA traced the clip and found nothing to support the claim that a bandit attack was ongoing or that it caused the people to run. Therefore, the claim is false.
