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Claim: A Facebook page (Female in Africa) on June 1, 2025, posted a picture of a woman with bloody stripes on her back with the claim that the woman was beaten by her daughter-in-law.
Verdict: False. Our findings reveal that the woman identified as Peace Cosmos was beaten by Kingsley Christopher Etukudoh and some of his friends.
Full Text
Gender based-violence (GBV) remains a recurrent and deeply rooted problem in Nigeria. It is fuelled by harmful cultural practices, weak law enforcement, and widespread impunity. Women and girls are affected mainly by it through sexual violence, domestic abuse, child marriage, and other forms of violence.
Lagos‑based Womanity Index found that 63% of Nigerians have either experienced GBV or know someone who has. In recent years, GBV awareness in Nigeria has improved, primarily due to efforts by various groups, individuals, the media, and the government.
Community sensitisation, school outreaches, and survivor support services have helped push these laws, such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act, to bring GBV discussions into the public space. However, not all states have domesticated or enforced them.
On social media, GBV cases are reported daily, and the government has taken up some of these cases to serve as a warning to others.
Despite these efforts to curtail gender violence, a Facebook user, Female in Africa, shared a picture showing an injury-laced back of a woman, alleging that her daughter-in-law caused the wounds.
“A disturbing incident has been reported in Cross River, where a woman allegedly assaulted her mother-in-law after asking her to leave the house, claiming she had overstayed her welcome (sic),” part of the post caption reads.
“The altercation reportedly occurred just days after the husband travelled to Lagos on a business trip. What are your thoughts on this situation?” the claimant’s caption questioned.
The post, published on June 1, 2025, has been shared 58 times.
Several Facebook accounts also posted the same claim, here, here, here, and here.
Given the nature and virality of the claim, which portrays the notion of a woman inflicting injury on another woman and the need for public awareness of gender based violence, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it.
Verification
We conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. The result revealed that the picture had appeared on a Facebook post a day before it was used in the claim.
On May 31, 2025, a Facebook page called “Ibommobile News” published a press statement signed by the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, where the picture in the claim was used as the featured image.
In the press release, one Kingsly Christopher Etukudoh and friends were said to have attacked a lady identified as Peace Cosmos, a resident of Nto Nso community in Ika local government area of Akwa Ibom.
The statement, however, did not state why Peace was attacked.
On June 2, 2025, NTA Uyo, during its News at 10 bulletin, relayed a statement signed by the Ika local government area chairman, Utibe Nwoko. The report, alongside the picture, was broadcast at the 12-minute mark on the news.
Other social media platforms also posted the statement.
John Timfon, Akwa Ibom police spokesperson, told DUBAWA that Etukudoh is a youth leader and was contracted with nine others by a relative of the woman in the image to beat her up over a family dispute.
“Information at the Command’s disposal has it that a relative of the woman organised with the Youth Leader and nine others to beat up the woman because of a family issue,” she said in a message to DUBAWA.
Stating that the investigation is ongoing, Timfon clarified that Etujudoh’s client is not the woman’s daughter-in-law, as alleged in the claim, but did not specify the nature of the family issue.
Conclusion
The claim is false. Peace Cosmos was attacked and beaten by Kingsley Christopher Etukudoh, not her daughter-in-law.
