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Claim: An X user shared a video of a US military officer announcing that the United States military will “take over” the Nigerian army and help end terrorism.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s analysis reveals that the video was generated or heavily manipulated using Artificial Intelligence. There is no official record of such an announcement from the US military.
Full Text
Nigeria currently faces a severe insecurity crisis, from Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram to armed bandits, kidnappings, herder-farmer clashes and rural ambushes, which have ravaged large parts of the country.
This violence is not only frequent but unpredictable. Schools, villages, and farms have repeatedly been attacked, and mass abductions remain a grim reality.
Recently, United States (US) President Donald Trump threatened military action against Nigeria, citing what he described as “mass killings” of Christians by Islamist militants.
He stated that the United States could deploy troops or conduct air strikes if the Nigerian government fails to halt what he termed religious-based atrocities.
Amidst this, an X user @area fada shared a video featuring a man dressed in a US military uniform, seemingly engaged in an interview. In the clip, the military man said, “The US military will take it from the Nigerian Army, and they will do their best to end Boko Haram terror.”
He further urged viewers to like and follow the page to “support” the supposed mission.
The X user in the post caption wrote, “Humm, dem done land? Na only terrorist una come kill, or na something else una want? My people waiting una think?” This means that foreign troops have landed, or is it only terrorists you came to kill, or did you come for something else? Nigerians, what do you think?
As of Dec. 9, 2025, the video had attracted 327,000 views, 1,500 likes, 768 comments, 675 reposts, and 449 bookmarks.
The post raised alarm, and many users questioned the intention behind the alleged intervention. Some interpreted the video as a sign of possible US interference.
An X user @pardox121 commented, “America is literally funding those terror groups. They are not doing that for free, they are definitely going to demand something from Nigeria later. Nothing is ever free, my guy”.
Other users like @iamkingmaduka dismissed it as fake, commenting, “ This is an AI-generated video, sir. It is fake.”
Given the claim’s sensitivity and its potential to spread misinformation, DUBAWA decided to fact-check the video.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a keyword search for any official announcement or verified report indicating the presence of US soldiers in Nigeria. We found no credible news outlet that has published such information.
We also observed that one of the microphones used during the interview had the name “Arise Mevon” written on it.
A keyword search, however, showed that no news organisation bears that name. The only known outlet with a similar name is Arise News in Nigeria.
We also observed that the inscription on the army uniform in the video read “U S. Army.” However, when we searched for authentic American military uniforms, we found that the correct inscription is “U.S. Army.”
We then analysed the video using an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-detecting tool, ISFAKEAI, and the results indicated that the clip had been digitally manipulated.
The tool revealed that about 68 per cent of the video’s visual elements were either generated or enhanced by AI, indicating a high level of manipulation.
We further subjected the video clip using another AI-detection tool, Hive Moderation, and the results showed an even higher level of manipulation.
The tool flagged the clip as 99.9 per cent AI-generated overall, and 70 per cent AI-generated in its visuals, indicating that AI essentially produced the images and audio.
We also subjected the video to another deepfake analysis tool, Deepware Scanner, and the results indicated that the clip had been enhanced by deepfake technology.
Two of the tool’s models flagged the clip as highly suspicious; one recorded a 67 per cent suspicion level, while another detected a 92 per cent likelihood of deepfake.
The overall ensemble rating classified the video as 79 per cent suspicious, suggesting a strong possibility of AI-driven manipulation.
Conclusion
Multiple AI-detection analyses indicated that the clip was generated using AI. Moreover, no credible news source or official announcement has informed that US troops are in Nigeria. The claim is false.
