With the influx of information and apparent fraudulent activities on the internet, it is essential to arm yourself with all that is necessary to make informed decisions and keep safe while using the internet. In this regard, click here to learn how to protect yourself, your device and your social media accounts.
While social media is a convenient way to gain access to news and stay connected to friends and family, it is not that easy to differentiate factual information from fake news on social media. In this light, here are four quick questions to ask yourself amidst the surge in online content.
Digital evolution and technological advancement has without doubt caused changes in almost all aspects of human endeavour. With the increase in the number of malicious links flying across WhatsApp, announcing and directing users to fake promos, grants, funds, and gifts on unknown websites, it is imperative to equip yourself with the knowledge in this article.
According to the International Communications Union, as of 2019, only 47% of the world’s population uses the internet in developing countries. That leaves a vast gap between developed and developing countries regarding the capacity to correct misinformation before it damages society. Here are some simple and effective ways of fact-checking without the internet.
Philip Emeagwali did not create the internet as widely believed. Also, a person cannot solely be pinpointed as the father of the internet because many scientists worked on different parts. Emeagwali’s work was never related to the internet. It was all self-promotion and branding.
The Nigerian Government Is Not Offering National Youth Empowerment Funds
A viral WhatsApp message claims the Federal Government is offering money to Nigerians under the National Youth Empowerment Fund. This is not true, click here to read the facts.
Lagos Is Not The City With The Largest Economy In Africa
While it is true that Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa, there is no substantial evidence to support the claim that Lagos is the city with the largest economy in Africa. Read more here.
Bola Tinubu’s Claim About Lagos State’s Allocation From the FAAC Is Misleading
Presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, in a recent interview with Daily Trust made a claim that Lagos State received zero allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) during his tenure as the Governor of the state, but this is not accurate. Read the facts here.
Low Sugar Intake Is not Linked To Cancer
A Facebook post, while suggesting different ways of eliminating cancer, advised readers to ‘stop eating all kinds of sugar.’ However, DUBAWA’s fact check shows there is no correlation between cancer and sugar consumption. Read more here.
Yes, Peter Obi Said He Would Rather Everyone Starve Than Borrow For Consumption
A Twitter user quoted presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, as saying he would rather everyone starve than borrow for consumption. This is true! In our findings, the aspirant made the comment to emphasise his position against borrowing for consumption, which he believes is not good for the economy. Read more here.
Scammers Posed As Zenith Bank’s Twitter Help Page To Defraud Unsuspecting Customers
In this article, DUBAWA identified some pages on Twitter operating under the guise of Zenith Bank and defrauding unsuspecting customers. It showed how these scammers work, the sad testimonies of their victims, and why it is so hard to trace them. Read the full story here.
Scammers Used Old Photos Of Sick Child To Defraud Victims Online
Here, Miss Hubert Nkanu’s pictures were circulated by some users on social media to solicit help from people. Her pictures were shared with a story suggesting that she is suffering from kidney cancer. However, when DUBAWA checked, it found the little girl was healthy and the pictures in circulation were old pictures recirculated by scammers. Read Miss Hubert’s story here.
A Sophisticated Network Of Fraudsters Pose As Vanguard News Websites To Swindle Users
DUBAWA investigated a parody website that was impersonating the Vanguard newspaper with a Dangote news story to mislead members of the public. Findings show the website is fake and although it contains Vanguard emblems and logos; the URL differs totally from the original Vanguard website and Vanguard URL. Read the article here.
Scammers Used Ailing Teenager’s Pictures To Defraud People
A secondary school girl, Miss Praise Olugola was preparing for WAEC when she developed a sinonasal tumour. Unfortunately, in the family’s move to get funds for medication, 17-year-old Praise became a tool for online scammers to utilise in defrauding people. Her details which the family had earlier shared online to solicit donations from the public were edited by scammers to divert help from her. Read her story here.
Internet Security: What You Should Know About Unverified Links Shared On Social Media Platforms
With the influx of information and the apparent fraudulent activities on the internet, it is important to arm yourself with all that is necessary to make informed decisions and to keep safe while using the internet. In this regard, click here to know how to protect yourself, your device and your social media accounts.
A Facebook post has claimed that an 8-year-old Ukrainian girl confronted a Russian combatant, telling him to go back to his country. The picture of the alleged Ukrainian girl has been shared on the internet numerous times. It has been established that the image is from a video of a Palestinian girl, Ahed Tamimi and an Israeli soldier. Read the full fact check here.
Photos shared by a Twitter user allegedly show nuclear weapons deployed by Russia against Ukraine to start World War 3. However, findings show that the photos shared are old and have been in circulation before 2022. Read the full fact check here.
A user on Facebook shared a video of an acclaimed tug of war between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers amid the ongoing war, but this narrative is FALSE. The soldiers in the video are not Russian and Ukrainian, but Canadian and United States soldiers back in 2012.
A user on Twitter claims the picture of a burning inflight jet was that of the 6th Russian aircraft downed by Ukraine. The picture has been online since 2014 and has been featured on different websites, under different narratives. Read the full fact check here.
A viral video on WhatsApp showcases shells of missiles alleged to have been released by Russia into Ukraine. The WhatsApp claim is false as the viral footage was that of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2021. Read the full fact check here.
It is a popular belief that the combination of malt and milk increases blood volume but there are no studies to back up the claim. Professional nutritionists have also refuted this claim.
Nutritionists, dietitians, researchers and medical experts do not agree with the claim that groundnuts or other oily foods can cause pimples but they encourage a healthy diet, good hygiene, exercise, and other healthy activities to make bodies fit and beautiful.
Medical experts do not agree with the claim that coconut can cause or aggravate coughs. They rather affirm that every part of the coconut is healthy for human nourishment.
Although there is no evidence to prove medically if indeed sleeping with a phone under a pillow is dangerous to one’s health, it has been proven that phones do emit a level of radiation. It is, therefore, advised that users prevent prolonged usage of the phone and always keep the phones away from themselves when going to bed.
Opening any perfume bottle while the air conditioner is switched on in your car cannot cause a fire. Only if the perfume is sprayed and a match is lit simultaneously, then an explosion can occur.
Nasarawa Government Used A Picture From Brazil To Depict The Status Of A Road In The State
The Nasarawa State Government posted the ‘before and after’ construction pictures of a road it claims to be in Sisinbaki-Kwarra, Wamba Local Government Council but an analysis by DUBAWA shows that one of the images is of a road in Brazil. See the verification process here.
Obinna Nwosu Is Not The First Abia State Politician To Be Verified On Twitter
DUBAWA’s findings show that Mao Ohuabunwa, also a politician from the state, got his Twitter account verified in 2017. Read the facts here.
Some Fuel Stations Not Operating For 24 Hours As NNPC Claims
Of the 48 stations the company listed as providing 24-hour service in the federal capital, PREMIUM TIMES confirmed at least four were closed and not selling fuel and five did not operate night and day. Read the full article here.
Hushpuppi Has Not Died In US Custody As Widely Shared
There are no official reports of Hushpuppi’s death by credible news media, the United States Department of Justice or any other US agency. Click here to read the full check.
Video Of Hushpuppi Lamenting His Experience Behind The Bar Is Deep Fake
An analysis of the video showed it was a deep fake created for a comedy YouTube channel. Click here for more details.
The headline of a PMNews’ June 2021 report stated: “JUST IN: Buhari Shot Dead By Gunmen In Edo.” However, verification shows that the Buhari in question was not the President, but a driver with Hartland Construction Company.
Another news headline in June 2021 announced: “JUST IN: AMCON takes Buhari’s Properties.” This headline is misleading. The Buhari in question is not the Nigerian President, but Mr Abdulfatai Buhari, a lawmaker representing Ogbomosho North in the country’s senate.
On Tuesday the 22nd of June 2021, a post was made on Facebook by Mr Joe Igbokwe, a member of the All Progressives Congress and Special Adviser, Office of Drainage Services to the Lagos State Governor. In the post, the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari purportedly threatened local government chairmen in the country with EFCC and Kirikiri prison if they handed their local government funds to their governors. There is no evidence to support the claim.
A viral message on social media claimed that Buhari’s regime declared a foreign national from Niger wanted for defrauding Nigeria of $400 million, N400 million and €10 million designated for the purchase of arms. This information is MISLEADING. While it is true that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a Nigerien wanted for defrauding Nigeria of arms funds, it is not true that the deal took place under President Buhari’s regime and the exact amount of the deal is $394million, €9.9million, and N369million.
Short answer? No. Long answer? A WhatsApp message announced that President Buhari said he will not embark on foreign medical trips. The viral message claimed President Buhari made the statement while delivering a lecture at The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, on February 21st 2015 before he was elected Nigeria’s President. This claim is not accurate as findings show that the transcripts of his speech at Chatham House have no record of this statement.
Social media users and many online portals have circulated stories that suggest that the suckling of breasts, especially by spouses or partners, can reduce chances of breast cancer in both men and women, but this is not accurate. Read the fact check here.
A Facebook user, Adebisi Yusuff Adebayo, claimed in a post on the platform that rotten tomatoes contain fungi that produce a toxin that may cause liver cancer. According to the post, boiling and frying the tomatoes does not help remove the fungi completely. DUBAWA verified this claim and found it to be TRUE! Read the facts here.
A viral WhatsApp message said drinking hot coconut water can cure all forms of cancer. It advised readers to add hot water to some thin slices of coconut flakes and the product will become ‘alkaline water.’ It was also explained in the message that hot coconut water releases ‘an anti-cancer substance’ that has served as a proven remedy to all types of cancer. This has not been proven to be true, read the facts here.
The presence of vitamin B9 and polyphenolic compounds, powerful antioxidants with antitumor potential, make ewedu a potential anti-cancer drug source in the future. But for now, it is certainly just a healthy and delicious dish! Read the full article here.
A ‘Did you know’ card claimed that the consumption of avocado pears can reduce the risk of cervical cancer and also aid the health of the womb and the development of the baby. This is not entirely correct. Read the fact check here.
The Nigerian Minister for Information and Culture has, on several occasions, been the topic of controversy on social media. He has also been fact-checked multiple times by DUBAWA. Read the fact checks here.
Reno Omokri
Reno Omokri is another political influencer famed for his support for the Jonathan administration and a huge critic of the Buhari administration. He has repeatedly shared false claims about the current administration and also misled people on other topics. Read our fact checks on some of his claims here.
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Femi Fani-Kayode
Another popular critic of the Buhari administration is Mr. Fani-Kayode. Banking on his large social media following, the former Nigerian Minister successfully trolls the president and shares misinformation on different topics. To DUBAWA, his name is reminiscent of bogus claims around the COVID-19 vaccines and more.
Dino Melaye
Dino Melaye is a controversial politician who is a former lawmaker at the House of Representatives and the Senate. He is a social media influencer who engages his followers with posts of his luxurious lifestyle and sometimes sings to entertain them. Mr Dino Melaye made false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, he shared a fake photo during the EndSars protest and also falsely claimed that Joe Biden knelt to apologize to George Floyd’s daughter.
Godwin Obaseki
The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, may not be as controversial as others but he has also been caught misinforming the public. While answering questions during the debate held by Channels Television ahead of the 2020 governorship election in the state, Mr Obaseki who also contested in the election said: “With a debt burden of 120 billion Naira, we have been able to service and still ensure that we undertake economic projects.” DUBAWA checked the claim and discovered it was not accurate. Read the fact check here.
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Dubawa annual Media and Information Literacy Campaign “Week for Truth” set to commence
By Maxine Danso
As part of its core mandate of championing research-based factual and verifiable content online and offline, Dubawa, a transnational fact-checking project of the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), is set to begin its annual Media and Information Literacy campaign for 2021.
The campaign, dubbed Week for Truth, is a week-long lineup of events and activities all advocating for accurate information to be upheld in public policy, public discourse, and journalistic practice.
Running for the second time since 2019, this year’s Week for Truth starts on Monday the 15th of November till Friday the 19th of November 2021 across all five Anglophone West African countries Dubawa operates in – Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.
Events and activities scheduled within the week include:
A one-day nationwide senior high school outreach by over 90 Dubawa-trained volunteers, to educate students on Media and Information Literacy, and basic fact-checking and critical thinking skills.
A one-day media and information quiz session across Dubawa’s social media pages, which promises prizes to winners.
A two-day Information Disorder conference, which will engage professionals, academics, researchers, and the general public in analysing the consequences of information disorder, approaches, and experiences in tackling it; government and civic engagement; balancing and regulations; and fact-checking.
A week-long mainstream and social media literacy campaign, on radio stations and Dubawa’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram page respectively.
Dubawa’s Programme Manager, Mr. Adedeji Adekunle, explains the purpose of Week for Truth and what it hopes to contribute to society.
“At Dubawa, we believe that the best way to counter the information disorder problem is to preempt it. That means the goal is to equip every citizen with the necessary knowledge to discern the veracity of the information they come across. This campaign, while imparting such skills, will also draw the attention of the public to the risks around the information they receive and share, and the consequences of enabling misinformation,” Mr. Adekunle said.
In a present age faced with diverse global digital and information challenges, the need for all media users to become media and information literate has become even more crucial. Dubawa, thus, calls on the entire public to participate in its week-long programme, Week for Truth, to further the agenda of amplifying the culture of truth in society.
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