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Claim: On September 9, 2025, a Facebook user, Hajia Yekini, posted a collage of images with a caption warning residents of Lagos and Ogun States not to walk at night because a dangerous animal was on the street.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s findings reveal that the images have been online since 2024, and one of them was captured in Ukraine.
Full Text
A Facebook user, Hajia Yekini, on Sept. 9, 2025, posted an image with a caption warning residents of Lagos and Ogun States not to walk at night anymore because a dangerous animal is walking on the street.
The post, written in Yoruba, reads, “Ìkéde pàtàkì fún gbogbo ará ìlú Èkó àti ìpínlẹ̀ Ogun. Èyí ni ìkéde pàtàkì fún gbogbo ẹ̀yin tí ẹ ń gbé ní agbègbè Mushin, Ojota, Ayobo, Epe, Ajah, Surulere, Orile Iganmu, Awo Yoyo, gbogbo agbègbè ìlú Èkó pátá tàbí ní ìpínlẹ̀ Ogun, ẹ má rìnrin òru mọ́ o! Ó léwu, ẹranko Gozila ń rìn kiri l’oru báyìí o… This is the latest information for all Lagos and Ogun residents. This is a deadly predator spotted in Lagos and Ogun in the night. Warn your sisters to stay at home for now. God bless you. Àbò Elédùmarè á wà lórí ayé gbogbo wa tómọtọ́mọ o, a ò ní rìn lọ́jọ́ tí ebi ń p’ọ̀nà o. Copied..”
Using Google Translate, the post was interpreted as: “Important announcement to all people of Eko town and Ogun State. This is an important announcement to all of you who live in the areas of Mushin, Ojota, Ayobo, Epe, Ajah, Surulere, Eganmu, Awo Yoyo, and all areas of Eko town and Ogun State. Do not walk at night anymore! It is dangerous because the beast ‘Gozila’ is roaming around at night now.”
The post has generated over 930 comments, over 1,000 shares, and about 1,000 likes.
While some Facebook users reacted with fear, others questioned the claim’s authenticity. Bolaji Oke commented that the animal in the picture did not look like a gorilla but a dinosaur.
Another user, YB Harleem, wrote, “This is a dinosaur, and it’s extinct, meaning it is no longer in existence. Besides, the background of where the car is parked does not look like Nigeria. Still, may God protect us all.”
Gbenga Dams noted that his mother could panic and call all her children immediately. At the same time, Arike Tiwatope said her own mother would forward the picture to family members on WhatsApp and follow up with calls to ensure everyone saw it.
She wrote, “My mum can start calling all her children beyen and her relative she will go extra mile in sending this picture to all of us on Whatsapp, the one she can’t reach out to she will ask the person she can reach on phone to call d person and do follow up if they’ve reached out to each other’s with prayers abo olorun Koni ka Lori yin oooo, I will say Amenn ….me will just b laughing, like iya Yi la”.
Another user, Ganiyu Jimoh, wondered what security officials were doing in the area if such a creature was truly roaming.
DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim due to its potential to cause panic among residents.
Verification
A Google Reverse Image Search further revealed that the same picture had been circulated almost a year ago here, here, and here.
A closer look at the image attached to the post shows that there are two different images attached to one. The first one, with a dinosaur-like creature, dates back to 2020, according to the date displayed on the CCTV camera.
The second image of a shredded car also dates back to 2019. The incident involving the shredded vehicle cannot be confirmed, as no mainstream news outlet or police report documented the incident.
A collage of both images
However, DUBAWA’s look at the storefront signs matches businesses located at Drahomanova St. 2 in Kyiv, Ukraine. For example, the “Veneto” furniture store (ВЕНЕТО) is listed at Kyiv, Drahomanova Street, 2. Likewise, a White Clinic dentistry (стоматология) is explicitly located at 2 Dragomanova St., Kyiv, and an “Insomnia” beauty salon is listed at Kyiv, Dragomanova, 2. These independent sources consistently pinpoint the exact address. Therefore, the image was taken at Drahomanova Street 2, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Additionally, checks on the official X handles of the Lagos State Government and Ogun State Government showed no warnings or announcements about any dangerous animal roaming around Lagos or Ogun.
Conclusion
The claim is false. There is no evidence of any such dangerous animal roaming Lagos or Ogun State.
