Misleading! Image of arrested suspect, not Kaduna kidnapper

Claim: An X user shared images of an apprehended kidnapper and claims he is a Christian terrorist linked to multiple kidnappings in Kaduna State.

Verdict: Misleading. A Google Reverse Image Search associates the shared image with a rescue operation carried out by the Nigerian army in Riyom Local Government (LGA), Plateau State, and not a Christian terrorist arrested in Kaduna. 

Full Text

In recent weeks, there have been controversies about the existence of Christian genocides in Nigeria. While several Nigerians have lamented many instances of Christian faithfuls getting killed by Islamic extremists based on their faith, others have argued that Christians are not the only victims of terrorism, as Muslim faithfuls have also died as a result of Islamic terrorist attacks.  

Against this background, an X user, @Jiddattou, shared an image of an arrested kidnapper in possession of a loaded gun. Jiddattou claimed the kidnapper is a Christian terrorist linked with multiple killings in Jema Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

“Meet Blessed Paul, Kaduna Kidnapper and Gun Runner. A notorious Christian Terrorist linked to multiple kidnappings in Jema’s LGA,” the post’s caption reads. 

We found that similar posts were shared by Facebook and Instagram users.

As of Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, the post has garnered over 619,000 views, 2,300 comments,  1,500 retweets, 2,600 likes, and 178 bookmarks. 

The post generated controversial comments from other X users who came across the post.

“Point of correction, no name like Blessing Paul,” @OluwafemiJac13 opposed.

“You can’t change facts. They are just stubborn. Continue deceiving yourself,” AJ_013 countered.

“Any thief they catch now is a terrorist, just so the US will change their stand, it won’t work,” DogaraGK stated.

Due to the sensitive nature of the claim amidst the “Christian genocide” conversation, DUBAWA decided to verify the image shared by the claimant.

Verification

DUBAWA submitted the image to Google Reverse Image Search, which linked us to a Facebook post shared by the Nigerian army.

The Nigerian army on Mar. 11, 2025, shared a post that had several pictures of apprehended kidnappers, including the image shared by the claimant. The post detailed how the troops of Operation Safe Haven rescued seven kidnapped victims in Riyom Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State. 

The operation was carried out based on intelligence given to the troops that some kidnappers were keeping some victims who were abducted along the Jos-Ganawuri road on March 7, 2025. The group searched the whole area and rescued seven victims.  

The Punch newspaper also reported a similar development back in March. 

DUBAWA noticed that the claimant referenced the Guardian article in a follow-up tweet and tried to link the image she shared to the article’s content. In the follow-up post, the X user insisted that a notorious gun runner and suspected kidnapper, Blessed Paul, who was arrested by the troops of Open Save Haven, in Garaje community, Jema Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, is the one in the images. 

We checked the Guardian article and noticed that Blessed’s photograph is not included.

Conclusion

DUBAWA’s findings reveal that the image shared by the claimant was published by the Nigerian army during a military operation in Plateau State. It is not an apprehended kidnapper and gunrunner. The claim is, therefore, misleading.