Image illustrating terrorist activity in Nigeria. Photo Source: Africa Press
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Claim: A verified X user, @itz_masha, shared a video clip claiming that the people of Zamfara had started going into the forests to capture bandits without assistance from security personnel.
Verdict: Misleading! While the clip shows a suspected bandit captured by civilians, the incident happened in Kwara State, not Zamfara State, and the video has been online since 2025.
Full Text
A verified X user, Big Masha @itz_masha, posted (archived here) a video on June 7, 2026, showing a man holding a gun. He appeared to be sitting amid a group of people who were interrogating him.
In the supporting caption, the X user explained that the man was a suspected bandit captured by residents of Zamfara without any form of assistance from security personnel. “People in Zamfara State have decided to start capturing Fulani forest bandits themselves, without any assistance from the authorities,” the post’s caption reads.
Translating what the suspected bandit said, @itz_masha wrote in the quote of the tweet, “My name is Saleh Yusuf. I am from Kawula. I used to be involved in terrorist activities, and my boss is Haro. He did not know that I came here. I was once in prison, and when I came out, he warned me not to steal again. Since then, I stopped stealing until recently, when I got involved in kidnapping…”
As of June 8, 2026, the claim had attracted 533,500 views, 643 comments, 3,000 retweets, 11,000 reactions and 1,200 bookmarks.
DUBAWA observed that several X users who commented on the post believed it, while others doubted its authenticity.
A verified X user, Afolabi Olaide (@afor007) commented,
“They should get every necessary information from him; perhaps they might be able to capture more. After that, send them to their creator. They will be reducing in numbers.”
“Nobody is coming to save you, mount your guard as a Nigerian, stay alive and defend your family, cuz you Christians no mean say God go come down come fight your battles….be wise,” another X user, Tipzi (@tipzii_t) wrote.
Another X user, Firdausyy(@Firdaussrr) commented, “This video is more than 3 years old. Stop misleading people.”
The claim has since gone viral, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, here on Facebook.
Due to the claim’s virality and the issue’s sensitivity, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it.
Verification
DUBAWA extracted keyframes from the clip and performed a reverse image search using fact-checking tools. We discovered the viral clip had been online since 2025, and news reports confirmed that the incident took place in Kwara State. The results showed that the footage was first posted on March 3, 2025.
A news outlet, Sahara Reporters, published the report in March 2025 about how a local vigilante group in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun of Kwara State, arrested a suspected kidnapper, Saleh Yusuf and rescued the abducted victim. The video was embedded in the text.
Citing the publication by Sahara Reporters, a Facebook page, OMO IBILE OKE ODE, posted the same video in 2025 with a caption that the suspect was arrested by vigilante groups in Kwara State.
Further findings show that Linda Ikeji’s blog also reported the incident in 2025, sharing several screenshots from the video. Also, D English Alhaji, a Nigerian social media commentator known for discussing insecurity, banditry, kidnapping cases, governance, and political issues, particularly in northern Nigeria, posted the same video clip that the kidnapper was arrested in Oke-Ode in Kwara.
His caption on the clip reads, “Suspected Kidnappers in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun, Kwara State. Our vigilantes recovered several weapons, including AK-47 rifles, along with hard drugs and various items seized from the suspect.”
Conclusion
The video allegedly showing Zamfara residents captured in a forest by bandits is misleading. Our Verification reveals that the suspect was arrested in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara, in 2025, not in Zamfara State.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.
