Viral clip of ‘wanderers’ from Ethiopia, not Nigeria

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Juliet Buna

Claim: A Facebook user, Babayemi Segun-Babs, shared a video claiming that “wanderers” were moving towards Southern Nigeria.

Verdict: False. The video shows Fulani pastoralists crossing a bridge in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region, not Nigeria.

Full Text

Nigeria continues to grapple with security challenges, including kidnappings and violent attacks in different parts of the country. 

Recent incidents, such as the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, the abduction and killing of retired General Rabe Abdullahi, and other attacks, have heightened public anxiety and created fertile ground for misinformation.

Amid these concerns, a Facebook user, Babayemi Segun-Babs, shared a video (archived here) on June 14, 2026, claiming to show “wanderers” moving towards Southern Nigeria.

The post reads in part, “Wanderers are proceeding towards the southern regions of Nigeria. All government security agencies and traditional local security units are hereby advised to be on high alert o. If it’s true as dem talk am…”

An accompanying voice note, apparently recorded during a phone conversation, alleged that the individuals in the video were coming from Kebbi State. The user noted that they had already passed through Niger State and were heading towards Ogbomoso in Oyo State.

The speaker said, “They are coming through Igbeti, those that are about 300 already in. We saw them; people have left the town in fear. They even shot some people yesterday. They are coming from Niger, passing through Igbeti to Ogbomoso…”

As of June 18, 2026, the post had garnered over 239,000 views, 2,300 reshares, more than 4,600 likes, and 122 comments. While some users expressed fear and concern, others questioned the claim’s authenticity.

For instance, Kolade Kemi wrote, “Our borders are too loose. Why do they choose Nigeria as their grazing land? Let all Nigerian citizens rise against them, not in fear. But Mr reporter, Zuguruma is between Mokwa and Kainji; how come Igbeti and Ogbomosho are involved in Niger State affairs? This information is coming out of fear and a confused mind.”

Another commenter, Mayowa Oladele, challenged the claim, stating, “Stop spreading misleading information. This video was circulated in Sierra Leone. I saw it on some of their blogs as far as May 10. You can also Google ‘Herdsmen entry through Kabala’. The country is tense already. We should avoid spreading unverified information.”

The claim was also reposted on several Facebook users, here, here, and here, amplifying concerns among users.

Given the security implications of such a claim and the contradicting comments it attracted, DUBAWA investigated it.

Verification

DUBAWA conducted a Google Reverse Image Search using key frames extracted from the video. The investigation revealed that the footage had been online for months before the Facebook post. We found an earlier version of the video on TikTok in April 2026.

Further checks showed that an Instagram account, habesha_diaspora, posted the same video on April 8, 2026, with the caption, “Fulani Cattle Herders seen crossing Bridge in Gambella Region.”

DUBAWA also located the video on the Gambella Contemporary Issue Facebook page on April 8, 2026. The post identified the people in the footage as Fulani pastoralists moving through Ethiopia’s Gambella Region in search of pasture and water.

A closer examination of the video provided additional evidence. One of the traffic officials visible in the footage wore clothing bearing the inscription “Gambella Traffic Police.”

The Gambella Traffic Police, which operates under the Gambella Regional Police Commission in Ethiopia, confirmed that the footage was not recorded in Nigeria.

Additional findings showed that the same video resurfaced in Sierra Leone in May 2026. On May 10, 2026, a news page shared screenshots from the footage with the headline, “Concerns Rise Over Alleged Entry of Herdsmen Through Kabala.”

Kabala is a town in northern Sierra Leone.

Another Facebook page reposted the same video on May 18, 2026, with a similar claim, demonstrating that the video has been repeatedly misrepresented in different countries.

Conclusion

The claim that the video shows “wanderers” advancing towards Southern Nigeria is false. DUBAWA’s verification established that the video was recorded in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region and had been circulating online since at least April 2026, months before it was shared with claims linking it to Nigeria. 

The presence of officials identified as members of the Gambella Traffic Police further confirms that the video was not filmed in Nigeria. Therefore, there is no evidence that the footage depicts people moving towards Southern Nigeria as claimed.