Late Ayatollah Khamenei. Image source: The Cable.
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Claim: A Facebook user shared some images claiming to show muslims in Sokoto protesting over the death of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran.
Verdict: Misleading. While there were protests in Sokoto and other Northern states following the killing of Ali Khamenei, the images used in the viral Facebook post are unrelated.
Full Text
The current tensions across the Middle East have triggered intense reactions online following the reported killing of Ali Khamenei. As developments unfold between Iran and Israel, social media platforms have become saturated with commentary, breaking updates, and strategic analysis from both supporters and critics across the political divide.
On Mar. 2, 2026, a Facebook user claimed (archived here) that Muslims in Sokoto took to the streets to protest against the death of Khamenei.
The post included images showing large crowds of men and women. In some photos, individuals were seen carrying flags, while in others, people held up posters featuring the late Iranian leader.
The exact caption attached to the images read, “Protest Erupts In Sokoto, Nigeria By Muslims Over Killing Of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei By US And Israel Forces.”
As of Mar. 2, 2026, the post had generated 658 comments, 583 reactions, and 44 shares.
A review of the comment section revealed an additional statement posted by the same Facebook user, which read, “These are people that are being killed every day by Boko Haram and bandits, yet they have never occupied the streets to protest. What a mindset.”
Other users also reacted to the post. A user, @Ekenechukwu Ekweozor, commented, “The problem with these people is that they don’t have a brain.”
Similarly, @Omotoyinbo Olusoji wrote, “How many times have Iranians demonstrated because of the annihilation by Boko Haram and bandits in northern Nigeria?”
Another user, @Mcziko Ziko, asked, “What are these people doing for God’s sake? So are the innocent people being killed in the north not worthy to have a protest in their names?”
@Solomon Jackson responded, “Nigerians will always protest, I have said it before. Anyway, may God help us.”
The same claim was shared by other Facebook users here, here, and here.
Due to the sensitivity of the issue and the potential for protest-related narratives to inflame tensions both online and offline, DUBAWA decided to verify the claim.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a Google Lens search on the images circulated alongside the claim to determine if they were connected to the alleged protest. The first image led us to a Reuters video and a more extended version posted on YouTube by WION. Both videos contained the exact frame in question, suggesting the image was extracted from the footage or captured at the same scene.
The video caption read, “Members of Nigeria’s Shi’ite Islamic Movement took to the streets of Kano, protesting the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.”
Image from the Facebook post (right) and the corresponding image from the report.
The above image confirms that the scene was from a protest in Kano State. Although the image originated from a protest in Kano, the YouTube video explained that similar demonstrations also occurred in Sokoto, Gombe, Niger, and Bauchi states.
The report further noted that the protesters urged the Nigerian government to revoke any agreements it may have signed with the United States and Israel. The report’s video also showed demonstrators waving Iranian flags and dragging the flags of the US and Israel on the ground.
We traced the origin of the second image, which consists of three similar photos taken from different angles, to a news report. The report identified the scene as a protest held in Niger State. Several social media posts also shared the image and attributed it to Niger State here, here, and here.
Image from the Facebook post (right) and a similar image from the report.
DUBAWA could not immediately determine the source of one of the images; however, a key detail guided the next step of our search. In the photo, individuals were holding a large banner displaying images of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and Ali Khamenei, alongside an inscription that read, “Rejoices with the oppressed people of the world at the 47th anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Nigeria.”
We used the wording on the banner to run a keyword search for the exact date the event occurred. That search led us to reports showing that the celebration was held on Feb. 9, 2026, weeks before the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader. This means the image does not depict a protest in Sokoto tied to his death.
Image from the Facebook claim (right) and a similar banner display (left), both depicting the celebration of the Islamic Revolution.
Overall, we found multiple reports confirming that protests occurred in several northern states, including Sokoto. See samples here, here, here, and here. However, the images attached to the Facebook post do not show the protest in Sokoto.
Conclusion
While DUBAWA found several reports confirming protests held in Sokoto and other states in Nigeria, the images circulated alongside the claim were taken from protests in other states and from events unrelated to the recent demonstrations. The claim is therefore misleading.
