As misinformation surges within social media platforms, influencing public perception and conversations on the internet, DUBAWA continues its mission of strengthening the information ecosystem in Africa through various verification efforts.
In the third week of April, DUBAWA fact-checked several assertions on various issues from Nigeria and Sierra Leone, mostly on Facebook.
- Japan, China enact laws to stop Islamic religion
A Facebook post asserted that China and Japan passed laws prohibiting Islam in their countries.
Meanwhile, DUBAWA’s research shows that the assertion paints a misleading narrative. We scoured through reports from international media but found none to confirm the claim. We also reviewed the constitution of Japan and found that it provides for religious freedom for all individuals. Find the full details here.
- Mixture of garlic and olive oil cures ear infection
A popular blog on Facebook, Creative Chronicles, posted a claim that a combination of garlic and olive oil has the potency to cure ear infection.
DUBAWA found that while garlic and olive oil may contain important health benefits, their effectiveness to treat ear infection remains elusive.
We spoke to experts who debunked the assertion while additional findings from laboratory studies reveal that there is not enough scientific evidence to validate it.
Find more details here.
- Sierra Leone’s president buys new buses to cut transportation costs
In Sierra Leone, a claim circulating on social media alleged that the country’s president, Julius Maada Bio, has introduced new buses in Freetown to cushion the effect of transportation challenges bedevilling the African nation in recent times.
DUBAWA conducted a digital analysis on the image attached to the post and found that it is AI-generated.
Meanwhile, other evidence from reliable media outlets shows that the buses introduced are aimed at helping health workers reach their duty stations more easily, contrary to the user’s assertion.
Read the full report here.
- Fuel Hike: President Bio orders 1,000 litres for nationwide distribution
With the ongoing Iran-US conflict that has led to the unstable closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a lot of countries in Africa are facing a crisis with oil prices soaring beyond the affordable thresholds.
In light of this, a claim started circulating on X recently that Julius Maada Bio, the president of Sierra Leone, has ordered and delivered 100,000 litres of fuel to be distributed across fuel stations nationwide to ease the shortage.
DUBAWA investigated the claim but found no supporting information.