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As expected, the third week of June 2025 came with its share of misinformation and disinformation.
Below are some of the assertions DUBAWA verified this week.
- Israeli military officer begs Iran to cease attacks
Starting from June 13, 2025, there has been a series of attacks between Israel and Iran, which further exacerbated the growing tensions in the Middle East region.
In light of the foregoing, a social media user posted footage, claiming it shows an Israeli soldier pleading with Iran to stop the attacks.
Considering its security sensitivity, DUBAWA investigated the claim and found that it was created with artificial intelligence. Read the full article here.
- Lagos state speaker backs voting candidates with criminal record
An X user with a huge line of followers uploaded a clip claiming that Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, drummed support for voting candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) even if the person has a criminal record.
However, we scrutinised credible media outlets in the country that might have reported the assertion but found no supporting information. We also discovered that the video was taken out of context, as a transcript of the original clip we found on TikTok differs.
Read the full report here.
- Picture showing Yorubas waiting for leftovers at an Igbo party in Lagos
On June 15, 2025, the Igbo community in Lagos state held the second edition of the Lagos Igbo Hangout, a cultural gathering to celebrate Igbo identity while promoting ethnic harmony and unity in one of the most diverse cities in Nigeria.
Against this backdrop, an X user shared a picture of people standing in a queue along a road, claiming it shows Yoruba people waiting to be fed leftovers at the event.
Looking at its potential to incite ethnic tension, we conducted a Google reverse image search that traced the image to news reports and posts dating back to December 2024.
The reports showed some Nigerians of unspecified ethnic background gathered outside President Bola Tinubu’s Bourdillon residence in Lagos to collect Christmas palliatives.
Click here for the full details.
- Taking paracetamol while pregnant leads to autism
In April 2025, an Instagram user, @dalishealth, uploaded footage claiming that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.
After a careful review of academic research papers and interviews with multiple experts, DUBAWA can confirm that there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that paracetamol use during pregnancy causes autism or ADHD in children.
Check here for the full report.
- VP Shettima deserts official residence due to CCTV installation
Ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, there has been speculation regarding the future political alignment of President Bola Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima.
Contributing to this discourse, an X user, @Biafra_daily, claimed that Mr Shettima relocated from his newly renovated ₦21 billion official residence to his private home after discovering surveillance cameras allegedly installed without his knowledge.
However, findings by DUBAWA reveal that no verified reports or official communications support the narrative of unauthorised surveillance or relocation. Read more details here.
- Popular Liberian singer, King Dennis, is dead
Popular Liberian singer Kelvin J. Dennis, also called King Dennis, came to the spotlight in 2023 with a viral freestyle that displayed the 26 letters of the alphabet.
Meanwhile, a Facebook blog, The Midnight Blogs, recently claimed that King Dennis is now dead after he had an accident which took his life.
After a careful review of the artiste’s social media handle, DUBAWA discovered a post he made to debunk his demise. Also, no credible media outlet in the African country reported such a development.
Read more on this here.
- U.S. President Trump deports Nigerians living abroad
In Sierra Leone, a newspaper published an article claiming that no fewer than 40,000 pupils from 620 schools were excluded from the 2025 BECE for failing to submit Continuous Assessment Scores (CASs).
This assertion has sparked a plethora of concerns among concerned individuals in the nation. With this backstory, a video allegedly showing Nigerians who were caught and deported back to Nigeria went viral.
However, DUBAWA’s investigation reveals that the claim is false. Contrary to the assertion, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in the country confirmed that students missing CAS are disqualified from sitting for exams.
Read more about it here.
