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As misinformation works round the clock, so do fact checkers. In another week of monitoring and addressing “fake news,” here are the top claims DUBAWA verified.
- Toilet paper and women infections
In an attempt to keep women safe, several things have been implicated as causes of infection to women’s sensitive body parts. The latest one DUBAWA fact-checked came from a WhatsApp broadcast. The message warned women to avoid using toilet paper because it causes urinary tract infections (UTIs).
While the relationship between toilet paper and the risk of UTIs is yet to be intensively investigated by researchers, we found a recent study which concluded that wiping from back to the front is what can lead to UTIs and not the use of toilet paper itself.
Read the full findings here.
- Ebenezer Obey becomes a death hoax victim
Despite its inhumane nature, the fabrication and publication of death hoaxes on social media is gradually becoming a norm.
This week, the new victim was the highly celebrated juju musician, Ebenezer Obey. Tunde Sobowale, a Facebook user, shared the photo of the musical icon with a “rest in perfect peace“ caption. Being a famous and loved individual, the musician’s “death news“ quickly went viral.
DUBAWA, while attempting this fact check, found a video of the veteran himself debunking this claim via his Instagram account.
Click this link to read the fact check.
- Customs officers seize 100 containers of ammunition
From Plateau to Benue, many Nigerians lost their lives to insecurity in the past weeks. One claim that raised another security concern was made by an X user who said that customs officers seized 100 containers loaded with ammunition at Onne port, bound for Abia State.
While DUBAWA confirmed that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) truly intercepted contraband arms and ammunition at the Onne ports in Rivers State, this operation took place in 2024.
Read the full story here.
- Ali Ndume’s 21 years in Senate claim
Unlike other public positions with term limits, senators can remain in the chambers for as long as they are re-elected. In this vein, an X user claimed that Senator Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno, had spent 21 years in the Senate without achievement.
DUBAWA’s findings negate this claim. Senator Ali was elected to the upper chamber 14 years ago and has not spent 21 years in his current position as claimed.
To know how we arrived at this conclusion, click here.
- LTA shutting down internet services in Nimba
Following Senator Prince Johnson’s passing, the residents of Nimba County in Liberia recently gathered to cast their votes in a senatorial by-election.
As the election went on, David Tokpah, a Facebook user, posted in a Facebook group that the government, through the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), had caused internet disruption in Nimba.
In contrast, DUBAWA confirmed that there were no internet disruptions in Nimba at the said time. Likewise, Patrick Honnah, the LTA boss, denied this allegation.
Read more here.
