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Claim: An X user posted a video showing EFCC officials harassed by military personnel.
Verdict: MISLEADING! The clip is a video skit from 2023. Moreover, on Nov. 15, 2023, EFCC officials informed the public via a report that the video material is not linked to them and warned skit makers to desist from using the commission’s operational identities illegally.
Full Text
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received backlash from the public for illegitimately raiding private properties, which has sparked public outrage and tension in the country.
An X user, Bishop X (@BishopPOEvang), posted a video showing EFCC officials in a brawl with military personnel over the invasion of the home of an unnamed individual.
The 22-second video posted on Friday, July 5, 2024, caption reads, “EFCC una see una life? Nonsense.”
A similar claim was also posted on Facebook, as seen here.
As of Friday, June 12, 2024, the initial post has generated over 1 million views, 15,000 likes, 3,837 reposts, 498 quotes, and 2,485 bookmarks.
Based on the reactions in the post’s comment section, most users supported the military’s harassment of the EFCC, while others said it was a skit.
“This soldier is a well-trained combat fighter,” @Selfmadeceleb3 commented.
Another user, @DjLucianovibe, stated, “I have never seen (a) Nigerian soldier disarm someone like this before, nice one.”
“It’s a skit or prank?” @Dannymiller001 asked.
Due to the post’s virality and audience reaction, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a Google Reverse Image search on the video, and the result shows that the video has existed since 2023. A Facebook user, Labour Party Plateau state chapter, posted a screenshot of the video clip,
Furthermore, we probed the initial source of the video and realised that another Facebook user, Custodian Mej, a comedian, posted it. The user posted the video material, which happens to be a comedy skit, on Nov. 13, 2023.
We noted that the video resembles the clip posted by the claimant on X. Moreover, DUBAWA discovered a similar clip posted on X on Nov. 18, 2023.
Probing further, we came across a report by EFCC officials on Nov. 15, 2023, warning skit makers to desist from unauthorised use of the EFCC’s identities to promote their activities.
Furthermore, we checked through credible news outlets for a recent brawl between Nigeria’s military personnel and EFCC officials but found none.
Conclusion
Findings indicate that the video posted was a comedy skit filmed in 2023, not a brawl between the EFCC and military personnel.
