Image depicting human organs: Source: HealthXchange.sg
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Claim: A viral WhatsApp image alleges that children roaming the streets holding papers with their home addresses, claiming to be lost, are a security risk.
Verdict: False! This claim has been circulating online since at least 2022 and has no basis. The Nigerian Police Force debunked it in 2024.
Full Text
A post claiming to be an “urgent notice” from the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the police warns about organ-trafficking gangs allegedly using street children to lure unsuspecting victims.
The message urged public members to distribute this notice and hand over such children to the nearest police station or patrol.
The post reads: “URGENT NOTICE Ministry of Interior Affairs. From all police stations to all citizens, there are street urchins now carrying papers with their home addresses written on them and claiming that they are missing. If you see these children, do not take them to the written address because people are waiting for you there to kill you, steal your organs, or rape you. Please take them to the nearest police station or emergency patrol and report them immediately.”
The post, which has been widely shared on WhatsApp, was shared with DUBAWA for verification to allay public fear and avoid unnecessary panic.
Verification
A Google reverse image search of the screenshot revealed that this claim has been circulating since 2022. The message has appeared in multiple African languages here, here, here, and here.
“One common tactic of misinformation peddlers is the misrepresentation of organisations. For instance, there is no ‘Ministry of Interior Affairs’ in Nigeria—it’s correctly called the ‘Ministry of Interior.’
DUBAWA searched credible news sources and found no evidence that any official authority ever issued such a warning. However, DUBAWA also found that the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, publicly debunked the claim via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, (@Princemoye1) in May 2024.
DUBAWA reached out to the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, via SMS he simply responded, “Not aware of this, please.”
Conclusion
The claim is misleading. It is an old, recycled hoax that the Nigerian Police Force debunked in 2024.
