nigeria

Claim: A Facebook user asserts that 11 women are Managing Directors (MDs) or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of banks in Nigeria. 

Verdict: TRUE! Available information on the 11 Banks’ websites confirms they have female Managing Directors (MDs) or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). We also found various news articles from reputable media organisations on the appointment of these women. 

Full Text 

Nigerian women face great difficulty in achieving their political and leadership aspirations. Most obstacles they encounter are rooted in gender discrimination. 

Some areas where Nigerian women face the most significant obstacles are winning elections and assuming leadership roles. 

On average, women make up only 23% of high-potential pools at top-performing organisations. The numbers are even smaller in underperforming organisations, where only 14% of leaders in high-potential pools are women.

Stephen Esabu wrote on Facebook that most of the banks in Nigeria have females as their bank Managing Directors (MDs) or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). He stated this to show that females have taken over the banking sector.

He mentioned the names of notable banks like Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Union Bank, Access Bank, and Fidelity Bank. He concluded by advising parents to invest in female children as they do male children. 

This claim was shared on other social media platforms like WhatsApp and X. The post garnered 104,000 views, 1000 likes, 300 retweets, and 41 bookmarks since it was shared on March 23, 2024, on X. 

The virality of the post and the sensitivity of the post made DUBAWA verify the post. 

Verification

DUBAWA ran a keyword search and saw a news report by This Day Newspaper, with the headline “As Nigerian Women Break Grounds in Banking.”

The report noted that  10 of the leading banks in the country are run by women as Access Bank recently named Bolaji Agbede as interim CEO of Access Corporation. Others are Yemisi Edun of First City Monument Bank, Miriam Olusanya of GT Bank, Halima Buba of SunTrust Bank, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu of Citibank Nigeria,  Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe of Fidelity Bank, Tomi Somefun of Unity Bank, Kafilat Araoye of Lotus Bank,  Bukola Smith of First Securities Discount House Limited(FSDH) Merchant Bank,  Yetunde Oni of Union Bank.

We also saw another report by The Cable highlighting and discussing the women in notable banks. They discussed the profile of 11 female chief executives of Banks in the country.

We researched the 11 names mentioned and their respective banks to verify their position. Information found on the respective bank websites confirmed their position. 

According to the different Bank websites, Miriam Olusanya Is the MD of  GT Bank, Bolaji Agbede is the interim CEO of Access Bank, Halima Buba is the MD/CEO of SunTrust Bank, Yemisi Edun is the MD of FCMB,   Ireti Samuel-Ogbu is the MD of   Citibank Nigeria,  Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe is the MD/CEO  of Fidelity Bank, Tomi Somefun, is the MD/CEO of Unity Bank, Kafilat Araoye, is the MD of Lotus Bank,  Bukola Smith is the MD of (FSDH) Merchant Bank, Yetunde Oni, is the MD/CEO  of Union Bank and Adaora Umeoji, is the MD/CEO of Zenith Bank. 

Conclusion 

The Facebook post asserting that 11 women are leading the Banking sector is true. The various Bank websites confirm this. There are reports from reputable news platforms about women’s representation in the banking sector. 

Claim:  A Facebook User claimed Nigeria will be eligible for Facebook & Instagram Monetization from June 2024.

Verdict: True. Nigeria will be eligible for Facebook and Instagram monetisation starting from June 2024.

Full Text 

Facebook and Instagram monetisation refers to the various ways content creators can earn money from their activities on these platforms.  Monetisation opportunities include: In-Stream Ads, which enable creators to earn revenue through short advertisements positioned before, during, or after their video content; Stars, a feature allowing viewers to purchase virtual Stars and send them to creators during live videos, serving as a means of direct support; and Subscriptions, where creators can offer exclusive content and unique experiences to subscribers in exchange for a monthly fee. 

Additionally, creators can leverage branded content collaborations, partnering with brands to develop promotional material that showcases products or services to their audience, fostering mutually beneficial relationships. 

To monetize content, creators must meet certain eligibility requirements, which include adhering to community standards and monetisation policies. 

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been investing in programs to expand monetisation tools for creators, aiming to support the creator economy.

A Facebook user, Maria Ude Nwachi claimed that Nigerian content creators will have the opportunity to monetize their presence on Facebook and Instagram from June 2024. The post has  4,900 reactions, 1,300 comments and 202 shares. The post was made by a verified Facebook account user, Maria Ude Nwachi, drawing a lot of attention, and as a result we decided to investigate it. 

Verification

To verify this claim, DUBAWA searched Google and X and identified that, on March 21, 2024, Nigeria’s Minister of Communication, Dr. Bosun Tijani, held a meeting with members of Meta‘s senior executive team. 

The meeting focused on a wide range of topics, including Artificial Intelligence and monetisation opportunities for Nigerian businesses on Meta platforms.

On the same day, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also met with the same team from Meta at the State House in Abuja. During this meeting, Sir Clegg stated that Meta will introduce a feature on its Instagram app in June 2024 that will allow Nigerian creators to monetize their content and earn a living using the app. 

Find other publications confirming monetization of Nigerian on Meta platforms here, here and here. 

Conclusion. 

Based on the evidence gathered,  Nigeria will be eligible for Facebook and Instagram monetization from June 2024. This development is expected to provide a major boost to Nigerian creators and contribute to the country’s digital economy growth.

This fact-check is produced for the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking Fellowship in partnership with Garkuwa FM to facilitate the ethos of truth in journalism and enhance media literacy in Nigeria.

Claim: Social media accounts used a picture to depict a recent attack in Madaka community, Niger State.

Verdict: The picture used to depict the recent attack in the Madaka community of Niger State is old and unrelated to the incident. The claim is misleading.

Full Text

On March 21, 2024, tragedy struck Madaka, a community situated in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, as reports emerged of a deadly attack perpetrated by bandits in the community market. The incident resulted in losing an unspecified number of traders and customers.

In the wake of the attack, a picture began to circulate on social media platforms, purportedly showing the aftermath of the violence, with claims suggesting that over 30 individuals had been killed. The photo showed corpses wrapped in white materials lying on the ground in preparation for burial.

An X user, I.G Kagara, who posted the image, said that the corpses were being prepared for a mass burial that would take place on the outskirts of the community.

Ibrahim Kagara, another user who shared a similar image, lamented the attack and announced that the Islamic funeral rites for the deceased had been done. 

The post has garnered 3,000 views and 47 reposts, accompanied by expressions of grief and prayers for the departed. DUBAWA conducted this fact check to verify the authenticity of the claim.

Verification

Through reverse image, DUBAWA discovered that the picture in question had been shared repeatedly on Facebook since 2021. Not only that, it has also been used in different contexts. Below is a table showcasing instances of the image being shared on Facebook at different times.

FACEBOOK POSTS	DATE PUBLISHED	SOURCE	ENGLISH TRANSLATION
POST 1	March 16, 2022	Nafisa Labarina	The corpses you see are 42 people who didn’t hear and see yesterday night gunmen attacked them and shot them in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
POST 2	March 16, 2022	Ummi Rahab	The corpses you see are 42 people who didn’t hear and see yesterday night. Gunmen attacked them and shot them in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. May God have mercy on them Amen and when our time comes, may we die with faith, Amen
POST 3	July 28, 2022	Zuwaira Juwairiya	These corpses you see are 42 people who didn’t hear and see yesterday night. Gunmen attacked them and shot them in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. May God have mercy on them, Amen , and when our time comes, may we die with faith, Amen Don’t forget to share with 5 groups so that we can get the prayers of our Muslim brothers
POST 4	June 12, 2021	Yusuf Ridwan Mai Fata	May God bring peace to us in Zamfara, may God bring peace to Zamfara

Apart from the Facebook versions, the International Centre for Investigative Journalism (ICIR) also featured this image under the headline, “Police deny reports that 60 persons were killed in Zamfara attack, say ‘only over 30’ died.” 

The publication, dated June 12, 2021, detailed how 60 people were killed during a terrorist attack in the Zurmi Local Government Area of the state. These indicated that the image had no connection with the recent attack in Niger state.

Conclusion

The picture used to depict the purported killing in Madaka community, Niger State, is misleading. It is not only old but unrelated to the reported incident.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan, and News Verifier Africa, to enrich the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

Claim: The Federal Government has agreed on N155,000 as the new national minimum wage in Nigeria. 

Verdict: False: A fact check by DUBAWA has revealed that the Federal government has not agreed on N155,000 as the new national minimum wage with Labour Unions or any other party. 

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The rising inflation in Nigeria has led to the call for an increase in the national minimum wage among the country’s Labour Unions. This is to better help workers cope with the soaring inflation in the country. 

A Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu through Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Jan. 30, 2024. The committee is tasked with holding public hearings across the six geo-political zones with workers, civil society groups, private sector players, government officials, and other stakeholders, to negotiate the minimum wage in Nigeria. The current minimum wage of N30,000 was approved in 2019 after a prolonged negotiation between the government and the Labour Union.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the federal government by the end of March, after which a bill will be sent to the National Assembly for approval.

Amidst this, an X post by A.Ayofe on March 26, 2024, claimed that the federal government has agreed on N155,000 as the new national minimum wage in Nigeria. He also claimed that this had been agreed on after negotiations were had.

The caption of the post reads “The federal government has agreed on 155k as the new national minimum wage the NLC & TUC chairmen respectively thanked all the members involved in the negotiations in a press conference and urged the federal government and state governments to implement the minimum wage as earlier agreed on more details shortly…” 

The post which has been viewed over 210,000 times as of March 28, 2024, has generated over 1,300 likes, over 220 retweets, and close to 350 comments on the social media platform X.

The post also generated different reactions from users, some of whom expressed excitement at this development, while others expressed scepticism.

An X user Gerat Bourdillion wrote: “Fake News” while another Obina Aguerie wrote: “Wonderful, is it feasible? Some states are struggling to pay the 30k.”

Another user Micheal Agwogie questioning the source is this news wrote: “Source Please?”

Having observed the various reactions and engagement generated by the post, the contrasting figures for the new minimum wage demanded by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) earlier reported, and the anticipated outcomes from the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum wage which the NLC earlier said would begin in April 2024, DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim to set the record straight.

Verification

A quick Google search enquiry using keywords from the post does not show any news report from any credible media outlets in Nigeria on this development. A further search on NLC’s social media platforms and State House website did not show any article related to this development. 

We reached out to Abimbola Fasasi, the TUC chairman of Osun state, who debunked the news as being false, and said there was no official confirmation of an agreement of N155,000 being reached between parties as at March 28, 2024. 

While speculations abound that President Bola Tinubu may announce the new minimum wage on May 1 in commemoration of International Labour Day, there is no credible confirmation of an agreement being reached by both the federal government and labour unions on this.

Conclusion 

Our findings show that there is no validity to the claim that the Federal Government has agreed on N155,000 as the new national minimum wage in Nigeria. The claim is therefore false.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Diamond 88.5 FM Nigeria, to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country. 

Claim: A Facebook post has claimed that Barcelona Football Club’s wonder kid, Lamine Yamal lied about his age. The post suggested that he will be 20 years old in July 2024.

Verdict: False; a Google Reverse Image search on the  image used in the post  indicated that the document was doctored to change his year of birth from 2007 to 2005,

Full Text

A Facebook page, Football Farm posted a document claiming that an investigation has been launched to determine the age of Barcelona football Club’s Lamine Yamal. The document declared the footballer, whose official age is 16 years but would be 17 by July, was born in 2005 instead of 2007 known to the public. It suggested that his age is 19 years, with a few months to be 20.

The document was purported to be from the Catalan Football Federation (FCF)  showing the footballer’s personal details when Barcelona FC signed him during the 2013/2014 football season.

The post was captioned:

 “Sources confirm an official investigation on Lamine Yamal’s age is pending. Timelines and school records verify he is soon to be 20 years old, not 16 as previously claimed.”

It added that the document which showed when FC Barcelona signed Lamine Yamalin in 2013 indicated his age was 8 years old, thereby confirming the speculation that he would be turning 20 years of age in 2024 instead of the 17 years he officially claims.

The claim was also found on X and Facebook claiming the same narrative of the footballer falsified his age.

Another X account claimed that an “Old newspaper confirms he was 10 years old in 2015, meaning he will turn 19 and not 17 this year.  Barcelona have been committing age fraud!”

DUBAWA decided to investigate this claim because of its potential to misinform.

Verification

A Google Reverse Image search churned several online posts mentioning the topic. An article by a Spanish publication, 101 Noticias, detailed Lamine’s journey into a professional footballer.

The article, published in 2023, also contained the shared document. However, the document had the player’s date of birth as 13-07-2005.

The document was published in the article in 2023, but the one shared with the date of birth of 13-07-2005 appeared in March 2024 to push the narrative of Yamal being two years older.

This shows that the latter was produced by changing the 7 (in 2007) on the former to 5 (to read 2005) to push the narrative that he reduced his age.

Similarly, a fact check published by Maldita.es concluded that the second claim that an old newspaper confirmed Lamine was 10 years old in 2015 was false. 

The fact check noted that the photograph in the newspaper was from a publication from Newspaper Sport in December 2017. It added, “reference to his 10 years does not contradict Yamal’s age, 16 years in 2024.”

A check on the Facebook handle of Barcelona also corroborated that the player is 16 years of age.

The club made a post on July 13, 2023, to celebrate the player reaching 16.

Also, a tweet posted on the club’s X handle on January 22 stated that “Lamine Yamal, at the age of 16 years and 192 days, and Pau Cubarsí (16 years and 364 days), made history by starting in the first 11 that featured two U17s, a first in this century.”

Conclusion

The claim that FC Barcelona’s player, Lamine Yamal, falsified his age to be two years younger is false, as the materials used to accompany the claim were doctored and falsified to give credence to the false information.

This report is produced for the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking Fellowship in partnership with Daily Trust Newspaper to facilitate the ethos of truth in journalism and enhance media literacy in Nigeria.

Claim: Bloggers claim that Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State was captured in a viral video berating his commissioner for works, Ifeanyi Okoma, during a recent road inspection.

Verdict: MISLEADING. The man being addressed in the video is Paschal Aniegbuna, the state chairman of Ogbaru LGA.

Full Text

On March 10, 2024, a video surfaced on social media platforms, purportedly showing Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State addressing a government official during a site inspection of a road project. The video, shared by Lindaikejisblog on Instagram and Instablog9ja on Facebook, gained significant traction.

The video’s caption suggested that Governor Soludo of Anambra State publicly scolded the state’s Commissioner for Works, Ifeanyi Okoma, for negligence in overseeing the road project, specifically the absence of a walkway along the road. The inspection reportedly took place on Relief Market-Obodo-Ukwu Road in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.

The caption reads, “You’re incomp£tent,” Anambra Gov. Soludo bl@sts his commissioner of works, Ifeanyi Okoma, during a recent road inspection.”

As of March 13, 2024, Lindaikejisblog’s post had accumulated over 7,000 likes, 288 shares, and 1,355 comments, while Instablog9ja’s Facebook post got over 19,000 views, 500 likes, about 190 comments, and over 30 shares.

Also, the video and the claim have been widely shared on various social media platforms by different users, contributing to the dissemination of the purported incident.

Meanwhile, the posts’ comment sections’ reactions suggest mistaken identity, leading to misinformation and misunderstandings. While many people believed it was the commissioner in the video, a few argued he was not the one being addressed therein. 

Reacting to Lindaikeji’s post, C.C. commented: “Linda, this your copy and paste no make sense o! That is not the Commissioner for Works. The Commissioner is ‘not’ even in the picture. That’s the contractor heading the project…” 

Still under the same post, an anonymous follower believed it to be the commissioner as they wrote: “Looking at the shape of Mr Okoma’s head, one can tell that he is incompetent.” 

On Instablog’s Facebook post, Nazareth Emmanuel commented: “That’s not Ifeanyi Okoma… that’s a member of the commission of works in the state.”

These discrepancies and assumptions prompted the need to verify the accuracy of the claim, clarify any misrepresentations, and provide the public with reliable information regarding the events in question.

Verification

We investigated the man’s profile being addressed in the video by Governor Soludo. Analysis of the video footage revealed that the man was not Ifeanyi Okoma, the Anambra State’s Commissioner for Works, as claimed. 

Upon careful examination through the use of PimEyes, a face search engine tool, cross-referencing, and hints from comment sections, it was established that the man in the video was Paschal Aniegbuna, the chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in the state. The discrepancy between the claim and the actual identity of the official addressed by Governor Soludo renders the assertion that the Commissioner for Works was being reprimanded inaccurate.

Here is a pictorial illustration differentiating the two individuals:

Conclusion

Based on the evidence gathered from the analysis of the video footage and research into the persons involved, it is evident that the claim alleging Governor Soludo’s public reprimand of the Commissioner for Works, Ifeanyi Okoma, is misleading. The individual addressed by the governor in the video was identified as Paschal Aniegbuna, the chairman of Ogbaru LGA in Anambra State. 

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Bridge Radio 98.7FM, Asaba, to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

Claim: A social media user posted that Eggs are not healthy food, and their consumption increases the risk of preventable diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. 

Verdict: MISLEADING. Available studies on egg consumption and the risk of heart disease are mixed. Some reported increased risk, while others reported no association. 

Full Text

Over the years, the discourse on the association between egg consumption and the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases has remained controversial. 

Several studies have been conducted on egg consumption and the risk of coronary artery disease, ischemic disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. However, the findings from these studies were mixed. Some studies reported increased risk, while others reported no association.

Based on the topic’s controversial nature, there seems to be no universally acceptable verdict on egg consumption and the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

However, the discussion has resurfaced on social media in recent times. An X user, Tofur (@Alexzia777), posted that eggs are not healthy food and that their consumption increases the risk of preventable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Comments under the post reveal varying views among users, with some expressing doubts while others supporting the claim.

A user, @CarDen1974, commented, “Just show me one peer-reviewed study (so no reviews) that proves eggs are unhealthy, and I will go vegan, too.”

Another user, @Ferlonso14, said, “Eggs are a superfood. They don’t increase the risks of anything, buddy. They contain heart-healthy nutrients.”

As of March 20, 2024, the post has attracted 1,885 views, 53 likes, 25 retweets and comments.

We decided to verify the integrity of the claim due to the significant impact the claim holds on people’s health.

Verification

Eggs are a source of protein derived from chickens and are a typical food eaten worldwide. One whole egg is rich in vitamins A, B2, B12, B5, and minerals vital for human health.

However, eating eggs is controversial due to its high concentration of cholesterol, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

The body needs a moderate cholesterol level to build and repair the cells. Cholesterol comes from two sources: the body and the food we eat, such as meat, dairy foods, and eggs. 

The cholesterol from the body is called blood cholesterol, which is either good cholesterol (HDL) or bad cholesterol (LDL).

When LDL is produced in excess, it sticks to the walls of the arteries—vessels that circulate blood in the body. This process narrows the artery and increases the risk of heart disease. 

A study, “Eggs and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: An Update of Recent Evidence”, by Sharayah Carter et al., reviewed 35 studies on eggs and the risk of heart disease. The review showed most studies are unable to establish a causal relationship between egg intake and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Furthermore, it explained that the controversy on egg consumption is because foods that are high in cholesterol also have saturated fats, which can increase bad cholesterol in the body and the risk of heart disease.

However, eggs have low saturated fat but, like any other food, are often consumed with different foods, which can influence the total cholesterol and saturated fat intake.

So, sometimes, it is not only about the cholesterol in eggs consumed but also the amount of cholesterol in other foods paired with eggs.

Jo Carson, a professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, in the American Heart Association News asserted that amidst the controversy on egg consumption,  the key is for people to know their risk factors. She stated that people who are at risk of diabetes or heart attack should be cautious of the amount of cholesterol in their daily diet.

“But that’s not to say cholesterol makes eggs a harmful choice. Eggs may be considered less dangerous if a person’s diet contains little other cholesterol. For someone who’s decided to go vegetarian, and they’re not eating red meat, maybe the only source of cholesterol would be in an egg,” she said.

Pradeep Natarajan, a cardiologist and director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Center, mentioned that if eggs are eaten in moderation, they can be part of a healthy diet. He stated, “ Eggs are fine, but limit the total amount to one per day, averaged over a week, without going into extreme excess in one day.”

Most systematic reviews and meta-analyses either found a link or no link between egg and heart disease risk. These conflicting results contribute to the ongoing debate over the influence of egg intake on heart disease risk.

We spoke to Jeffrey Ajoko, a medical doctor at International SOS, on egg consumption and the risk of heart disease, who explained that eggs are a good source of protein. Still, their high deposit of cholesterol is sometimes associated with the risk of heart disease. 

He asserted that “Heart disease is a wide spectrum, but the aspect of heart disease linked to egg consumption is atherosclerosis, which deals with hardening of heart tissues. Atherosclerosis occurs when excess cholesterol is deposited in the body. It could block the artery and obstruct blood circulation.”

“To clarify the confusion surrounding the topic, the American Heart Association suggests one whole egg (or two egg whites) per day for people who include eggs in their daily diet,” Dr Ajoko said. 

Conclusion

Studies on the association between egg consumption and the risk of heart disease and diabetes remain inconclusive. While some studies show a connection between egg intake and the risk of heart disease, other studies show no connection.

This fact-check was produced as part of the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship in partnership with Dataphyte to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in Journalism and enhance media and information literacy in the country.

Claim: The Late Access Holdings CEO owns Herbert Wigwe University, Gateway Agro Cargo Airport, Alaro City project, Access Bank Hong Kong, Craneburg Construction Company, HOW Foundation, and ARM Pensions.

Verdict: Our findings proved these claims to be Mostly True.

Full Text

Herbert Wigwe was the Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s top banking institutions. Mr Wigwe was among the six people who died on Feb. 9, 2024, after a helicopter crash that took place in California. He was buried on March 9, 2024, alongside his wife and son, who were with him during the crash.

Following his demise, numerous claims have been posted on social media. Notable among them was a YouTube video by Greenlight, spotlighting six uncompleted projects allegedly owned by Mr Wigwe. The YouTuber listed Herbert Wigwe University, Gateway AgroCargo Airport, Alaro City Project, Access Bank Hong Kong, Craneburg Construction Company, HOW Foundation, and ARM Pensions.  As of March 9th, the video has garnered over 90 thousand views, 610 likes, and 76 comments.

Several users appreciated the documentary featuring the late Wigwe, with one user, @jerryokpara6757, thanking the uploader for the update. Another user, @Lomienmartins, praised the documentary, describing it as “very good.” Additionally, a commenter commended the late Wigwe for his contributions, stating, “He has done well.”

Verification

Claim 1:  Late Herbert Wigwe owns Wigwe University

Verification

DUBAWA conducted a Google keyword search, revealing multiple reports confirming that the institution was founded by the Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe Foundation (HOW Foundation) under the leadership of Mr Wigwe. Situated in his hometown of Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, this private university was set to commence operations in Sept. 2024. As TheCable reported, Wigwe University’s license was one of the 37 licenses granted and issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Verdict: True. Available information showed that the Late Herbert Wigwe owned Wigwe University.

Claim 2: Late Wigwe owned Gateway AgroCargo Airport

Verification

Reports revealed that the Gateway AgroCargo airport project was initiated in 2007 by the Ogun State government under the leadership of its former governor, Gbenga Daniel. While Wigwe was noted as one of the investors, it remains a government-led endeavour, with other efforts to revive the long-abandoned project spearheaded by the incumbent governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun. 

A news report by BusinessDay also confirmed that Mr Wigwe was one of the investors in the project and not the owner. The report quoted the late Wigwe saying: “As a banker, I feel extremely fulfilled to be part of this project, a project by a responsible entity, one in which the leadership is fully aware of the implications to the wider economy. I am talking about employment, development of the facilities, and areas around the airport.”

Verdict: Findings proved that Mr Wigwe did not own the project. The claim is misleading.

Claim 3: Late Wigwe owned the Alaro City Project

Verification

Alaro City, is a developing estate sprawling across more than 2,000 hectares situated in the North West Quadrant of the Lekki Free Zone. Contrary to claims on the video that the Alaro City project was owned by Wigwe, a post on the official website of Alaro  City established the initiative to be a partnership between the Lagos State Government and Rendeavour, an estate development agency. 

Verdict: The claim is false.

Claim 4: Late Wigwe owned ARM Pension

 Verification

ARM Pension Managers Limited is an asset management firm established in 1994. Contrary to the assertion made in the video that the late Wigwe owns the company, it is owned by Dele Alli, as stated on the official X page of the firm.

However, a report by The Punch Newspaper in January 2024 announced that Access Pensions Limited, a subsidiary of Access Holdings, of which the late Wigwe was the CEO, had acquired a majority stake in ARM Pensions.

Verdict: While the claim that the late Wigwe owns ARM Pension is not entirely true, Access Holdings now holds a significant share in ARM Pensions. The claim is Partly True.

Claim 5: HOW Foundation is owned by the Late Wigwe

Verification

HOW Foundation is an acronym for “Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe” Foundation. Its official website shows that it is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 by Mr Wigwe and headquartered in Lagos.

Verdict: The claim is TRUE.

Claim 6: Late Wigwe owned Access Bank Hong Kong

Verification

The Late Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhede co-founded Access Holdings. Access Bank is one of the subsidiaries of Access Holdings. 

Access Bank recently announced it had received approval to commence operations in Hong Kong. In a statement published on its website, Mr Wigwe expressed his pride and excitement at this achievement. He said: “I am immensely proud that Access UK has secured approval to commence formal banking operations in Hong Kong, marking a monumental achievement in our journey towards global prominence.”

Verdict:  The claim is True.

Claim 7: Wigwe owns Craneburg Construction Company

Verification

A former managing director of Arise TV and editor at THISDAY newspaper, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, in a tribute to the late Chizoba Wigwe, the wife of Mr Wigwe, confirmed that Craneburg Construction Company belonged to her and not her husband.

Nwogwugwu was quoted in the tribute as saying, “Just a few of us knew that Craneburg Construction Company was your baby. You would regale me with stories about the size of the contracts your company was taking on. I was amazed at your trips all over the country, executing and monitoring road, infrastructure, and building projects.”

 Verdict: The claim is misleading.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan, and News Verifier Africa, to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

Claim: Some X users (formerly Twitter) shared videos of undraped women asserting that they were protesting over the recent hardship in Nigeria.

Verdict: Misleading! Findings show that the video is from November 22, 2023, when Awka women protested over the killing of their relatives.

Full Text

Since the fuel subsidy removal by the inaugurated government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2023, there has been economic inflation in the country, leading to more struggling citizens. It started with news about how Nigerians chose to use gas as an alternative to fuel. As such, people who majorly ran their businesses with petroleum began to consider the use of gas despite the lingering dangers.

After that, and till now, the prices of goods and services are ever-increasing, thus making it difficult for many citizens to afford a living. Countless reports have also documented how some people across the country have resolved to vandalise trucks loaded with food items. See examples here, here, and here.

An X user, @ejykmykel1, shared a video of some undressed women protesting on the streets. Posted on Feb 17, 2024, at about 3:59 am, the post garnered over 762,000 views, 323 comments, 434 reposts, 413 likes, and 94 bookmarks.

The caption for this post reads: “Lagos women protesting naked, placing a curse on Tinubu over the hardship of the nation.”

We noticed in the comments that several people affirmed that the post was actual, while others said the information was false, adding that it happened in a different state for a different reason.

@Shemmie007, for instance, replied: “You guys are a menace. Fake news.”

Another user, @ugo_himself, buttressed, saying: “All these Yoruba women will just be annoying someone. Don’t you all have shame?”

@longinus_obinna also said: “Oga na old video be this o. Verify anything wey you dey post oo”

Prime progress observed that other X users also reshared the same video and caption in their accounts. See them here, here, and here. We also found traces of this post on Facebook.

Due to the discrepancies we noticed between the video and the comment section, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it.

Verification

After conducting a Google Reverse Image Search, we found the same video on X in a more explicit version dated November 23, 2023. 

The caption reads: “Women in Awka go naked as they protest incessant killings of their kinsmen.” Unlike the previous video with a different background song, this one featured the authentic sound of women ranting indiscriminately. Between 0:20 and 0:30 seconds, there was also a man’s voice speaking a different language.

DUBAWA, after recognising it as Igbo, reached out to several Igbo individuals for translation. They confirmed that the man was reiterating, “That is it. It is a protest that they are doing.”

However, since the evidence obtained was not credible enough, we still searched for more information to back it up.

We found reports here and here that confirm that the incident happened in Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria. The report explained that the protest emanated from a place of anger by residents over the mindless killings of their relatives.

It went on to elaborate that the women, who said they could no longer remain mute about the death of their relatives, decided to march around various parts of the capital city to express how fed up they were.

Confirming the incident, Chief Richard Onourah said they led the protest to let the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Adeolu Egbetoku, the Anambra State Police Commissioner, CP Adeoye Aderemi, and the general public know about the atrocities the officers allegedly committed in Awka and its environment.

According to him, the protest was also a result of the constant killings and other major crime waves in Awka.

The audio used in the claim does not align with our findings, as it was manipulated to have a different sound that carves a narrative around economic hardship.

This search goes against the claim that it was a recent protest by Lagos women over hardship, as no report recorded any such.

Conclusion

While the clip shows unclad women protesting, it has nothing to do with the claimed protest in Lagos over hardship. The actual footage is from November 2023, showing Awka women protesting over the continued killing of their relatives.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Prime Progress, to facilitate the ethos of “ truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

Claim: Clip showing a multitude of ‘bandits’ allegedly arrested in Kontagora forest.

Verdict: Against the claim, the video emanated from the arrest of illegal miners that took place in Taraba State in August, 2023. The claim is misleading.

Full Text

Real Life International, a Facebook page, posted footage showing countless men recently arrested in a forest. The user attributed the clip to how a large number of bandits were arrested during an army operation that took place in a Kontagora forest Niger State.

The handler wrote: “Crisis: The forest of Kotangora in niger state was ransacked yesterday. By Nigerian Army without blood overflowing, see the numbers of bandits brought out from the forest. If it was in Biafra land now. It would be a pool of blood, the burning of innocent people’s houses, burning of markets by the so-called security agency. This country is not equal.”

The post has been redistributed on Facebook as seen here, here, here, here, and here. DUBAWA carried out this fact check due to its virality.

Verification

DUBAWA conducted a Google keyword search to see if such an occurrence was reported by any newspaper but found none. We also made multiple keyword searches on YouTube but found nothing about this claim.

We then divided the clip into keyframes using Invid and conducted a reverse image search on each frame. This revealed an Aug. 19, 2023, news video published on YouTube by the TVC News. 

Titled “Taraba Task Force Arrests 3,500 Suspected Illegal Miners,” it detailed how the Taraba Task Force, led by its Chairman, Brigadier General Jeremiah Farensa, arrested a group of illegal miners at Dogon Yatsu forest in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.  

After the arrest, TVC interviewed the site manager of the mine, Abdul Hayatu, who claimed that their operation was licensed. We took a screenshot of him speaking and compared it with where he was shown in the circulating video. He was dressed in blue Yar Shara and seated on the ground with others, as seen below:

A screenshot of Mr Hayatu speaking with TVC after his arrest. 

Conclusion

Our findings have revealed that the video has nothing to do with banditry in Niger State. The claim is misleading.