Claim: An X user posted a video alleging that bandits surrounded a market in Zamfara after vigilantes attacked one of their members.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA found no credible evidence that such an incident occurred in Zamfara State. The same video has also been previously shared online with a different claim.
Full Text
An X user, chi… (@nnamanichi93717), shared a video (archived here) claiming that bandits surrounded a market in Zamfara State after vigilantes allegedly killed one of them.
The video was posted on June 10, 2026, captioned: “Just now; Bandits surrounded a market in Zamfara State after vigilantes allegedly killed one of their members.”
In the video, several people were seen running chaotically in different directions, thereby causing fear and confusion in the area.
As of June 21, 2026, the post had garnered over 5,400 views, 32 reposts, and 63 likes, sparking a range of conflicting responses. While some individuals accepted the narrative, others expressed scepticism regarding its authenticity.
One X user, Tugis Art Studio (@tugisart), remarked on the sight of young men fleeing, despite their potential to resist if equipped with weapons.
Similarly, OmoBenDel (@omobendel_) suggested that providing training and arms to a small group of local youths could effectively neutralise the threat.
“Let them lay an ambush for the terrorists and watch the terrorists be decimated,” he said.
Conversely, foreverbabysincerely (@yoursdesirously) questioned the legitimacy of the footage.
“Camera man immortal?” another user, CITY (@Dr_Dindu), sarcastically interrogated the perceived invulnerability of the person filming the chaotic scene.
DUBAWA also found a similar video with the same claim on X.
In view of the mixed reactions in the comment section and the growing security concerns in Northwestern Nigeria, DUBAWA decided to verify it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a frame-by-frame manual review of the footage and observed that the cameraman continued recording the scene without attempting to run for his life as well.
If bandits had truly surrounded the market, it would be unlikely for anyone to keep capturing the scene rather than seek safety.
A careful review of the footage showed no visible presence of bandits throughout the video. DUBAWA also noticed that the language spoken in the video, although not clear enough, wasn’t Hausa or Fulani.
Given these inconsistencies, we decided to investigate whether the video had been created or manipulated using AI.
We analysed the video using ISFAKEAI, which indicated that 46% of the video was generated by AI.
DUBAWA then subjected key frames from the video to reverse-image searches.
We traced the footage to the same video first shared on June 2, 2026, but in connection with Bayelsa State. In this context, the user claimed Jihadist mobs were chasing civilians.
Additional searches also led us to a video on YouTube, capturing the exact scenes of the footage. This YouTube user, however, did not include a caption or description for the video.
To further verify the claim, DUBAWA conducted a keyword search to determine if there was a recent report by credible news outlets about bandits surrounding a market and chasing people in Zamfara State.
We found no recent evidence supporting the claim. DUBAWA also searched for statements or press releases from the Zamfara State Police Command, but found nothing to substantiate the claim.
Beyond that, DUBAWA contacted two residents of Zamfara State, both of whom stated that there was no recent attack on any market in the state.
Conclusion
The claim is misleading. DUBAWA found no credible evidence that bandits surrounded a market in Zamfara State, and reverse image searches showed that the footage had previously circulated online with a different narrative.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.