Claim: A Facebook user shared a video claiming that Niger State Governor Umaru Bago announced the removal of all Fulani district heads across the state.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA found that Governor Bago made no such announcement. The video misrepresents a speech in which Governor Bago addressed insecurity and land disputes during a visit to the Emir of Kontagora.
Full Text
On July 19, 2026, a Facebook user, Otache Ib Gideon, shared a video (archive here) claiming that Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago had ordered the removal of all Fulani district heads in the state.
An overlaying text on the video alleged that the governor had removed all Fulani traditional authorities from their roles.
“Umar Bago said every kidnapping after ransom paid, the victims always say it was Fulani that abducted him or her, so now he is making an order. Watch this. I pray Benue, Plateau, Taraba, even other states should emulate this,” the video caption read.
The claim quickly gained traction on Facebook, attracting 165 reactions, 71 comments, and 345 shares as of July 21, 2026.
One Facebook user, Kings Okolo, who believed the claim, praised the governor. He wrote, “Your Excellency, sir, you are more than qualified to rule this country. Thank you for speaking the truth. I wish the rest of your colleagues would emulate your leadership style.”
However, another user, Abubakar Umar, disputed the claim, arguing that the governor’s remarks had been mistranslated.
“He did not remove any traditional ruler. You need to find a better Hausa translator,” Abubakar wrote.
Given the sensitive nature of the claim, DUBAWA verified it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches but found no credible news reports supporting the claim.
To verify the video’s context, DUBAWA reviewed the footage circulating on Facebook and found several longer versions of the governor’s speech. The videos matched Governor Bago’s visit to the Emir of Kontagora, Muhammad Mu’azu Barau II, at his palace.
A review of the governor’s remarks, delivered in Hausa, showed that he did not announce the removal of Fulani district heads or any traditional ruler in Niger State, contrary to the viral claim.
Instead, Governor Bago cautioned some traditional title holders against engaging in land grabbing, warning that his administration would not tolerate the practice.
During the speech, the governor also said in part, “Whenever kidnappers collect ransom, and the victims regain freedom, they often say it was Fulani who abducted them. That is why I am appealing to Fulani leaders to call your children to order so that these criminal acts will stop.”
The governor further appealed to farmers to stop cultivating crops along road shoulders to prevent clashes between farmers and herders.
To determine whether the governor had made any official announcement removing Fulani district heads, DUBAWA reviewed posts published on Governor Umar Bago’s verified Facebook page. We found no statement or announcement supporting the viral claim
Therefore, we reached out to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bolagi Ibrahim, who refuted the allegation and characterised the report as deceptive.
“This is not true; our governor maintains a leadership style centred on inclusivity and broad community engagement,” he said.
Conclusion
The claim that Governor Mohammed Bago ordered the removal of all Fulani district heads in Niger State is false.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.