Misleading! Viral video shows Somali security forces, not Nigerian bandits

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Muhammad Jamil Ibrahim

Claim: A TikTok user shared a video showing dozens of armed men aboard an aircraft, claiming they were Nigerian bandits travelling by plane.

Verdict: Misleading. Available evidence indicates the footage shows Somali military personnel aboard an aircraft.

Full Text

On June 4, a TikTok user “officialaa_nova” posted a video (archived here) on TikTok claiming it shows Nigerian bandits travelling aboard an aircraft. 

In the viral reactionary video, with an overlay of the claimed bandit in the aircraft in the top corner, the user explained how bandits board a plane and rhetorically asked which airport was used.

Other users shared the video with the same claim on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

We also found another Facebook post here. 

In the footage, dozens of armed men dressed in military-style clothing are seen seated inside an aircraft. The accompanying claim suggests the individuals are bandits operating in Nigeria and using air transport.  

As of June 9, 2026, the video garnered over 235,400 plays, 6,645 likes, 347 comments, and 1,559 shares. The video has sparked reactions on social media, with some expressing concern about the country’s security situation and others questioning the claim’s authenticity.

A commentator, Hajia said, “I swear the president is aware of all this.” Another user Muyiwa, said, “You too ask yourself.”

However, a respondent, Mohammed Abdullahi, argued,  “Stop, this fake news.”

Given the security implications of the claim and the conflicting comments, DUBAWA decided to verify the video.

Verification

DUBAWA extracted key frames from the video and subjected them to reverse-image searches. The search results linked the footage to content previously shared in connection with Somali security forces rather than armed groups operating in Nigeria.

Further examination of the video revealed multiple indicators pointing to Somalia. First, the text visible in the original upload dated July 24, 2025, appeared to be written in Somali. The account that shared the footage, identified as “Abdifatah Mohamud,” also bears a Somali name. 

One of the men visible in the aircraft appears to be wearing a tactical vest with a blue patch featuring a white star, resembling Somalia’s national flag.

Additional screenshots from the video show several uniformed men aboard the aircraft wearing military gear consistent with organised security personnel rather than criminal armed groups.

Reverse-image search results further identified the individuals as Somali soldiers and linked the footage to previous online posts here and here.

DUBAWA also found no evidence connecting the video to Nigerian bandits or to any incident occurring in Nigeria.

Conclusion

The viral video does not show Nigerian bandits but Somali military personnel aboard an aircraft. 

“This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.”