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Claim: An X user posted footage of a deteriorating train railway claiming it is the new rail transport system commissioned by Tinubu’s administration in Port Harcourt.
Verdict: False. Findings reveal that the video was initially posted in 2021 during former President Mohammadu Buhari’s tenure, and the train in the video is not the one that was launched by President Bola Tinubu.
Full Text
On May 1, 2024, the Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, commissioned a railway track linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri via Aba. The track would cover five geopolitical zones of the country, including South-South, South-East, North-Central, North-West, and North-East.
Meanwhile, an X user (@IamThatNaijaGuy) on May 10, 2024, shared a video showing an old shabby-looking train carriage and stated it was the new trains commissioned by the Minister of Transportation under the auspices of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
“This is what the (Port Harcourt- Aba) train shuttle recently launched by Tinubu looks like,” the X user wrote.
“Nigeria borrowed billions of dollars to build this railway and acquire this ‘ultra-modern high speed’ train. Tinubu is truly working,” he further wrote.
As of Monday, May 13, 2024, the post has amassed over 6,000 views, 186 likes, 139 reposts, 26 quotes, and 36 bookmarks.
In the comment section, other X users lashed out at the government for its poor leadership and orientation, while some pointed out that the video is not authentic.
“Terrible people leading Nigerians,” (@Okoyeok) commented.
“After borrowing billions of dollars. They have nothing for the South East and South South,” @Enemy_of_Evil commented.
“This is an old video,” (@pertensbola) pointed out.
Due to the controversial opinions the post has generated, DUBAWA decided to verify it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a Google Reverse Image Search and discovered that a video with the same narrative was posted on Meta’s parent app, Facebook, in 2021.
Meanwhile, further findings reveal a YouTube 2021 video, where a man was seen voicing dissatisfaction with the poor condition of the train system in the South East. The trains have explicit similarities with the one identified in the claim.
Screenshot of a Youtuber lamenting the degrading state of trains plying Port Harcourt-Aba, in a 2021 video clip
President Bola Tinubu was not inaugurated as president of Nigeria until May 29, 2023.
DUBAWA searched via Google for the new railway project of Port Harcourt to Aba, inaugurated by Minister of Transportation Said Alkali on May 1, 2024. We discovered that its trains are quite different from the one referenced in the video claim.
Screenshot of the railway track from Port Harcourt to Aba commissioned by the Minister of Transport on May 1, 2024
Channels Television also gives a similar report.
Screenshot of the new railway track from Port Harcourt to Aba commissioned by the Minister of Transport on May 1, 2024
Conclusion
The claim is false. Findings reveal that the train in the X video has existed since 2021. It was not recently launched by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
