Viral image showing “Welcome to  Bo City, Sierra Leone,” AI-generated

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Usman Fambuleh

Claim: A Facebook post by Samson Barrie shows a modern city gateway labelled “Welcome to Bo City, Sierra Leone,” claiming to be the actual appearance of Bo City, Sierra Leone’s “second capital.”

Verdict: False. The image is AI-generated and does not represent a real location in Bo City. There is no evidence that the gateway, skyscrapers, toll booths, or cityscape shown in the image exist in Sierra Leone.

Full Text

A Facebook post circulating online features an image of a grand entrance bearing the inscription “Welcome to Bo City, Sierra Leone.” The image shows an urban landscape with towering glass skyscrapers, multi-lane roads, toll booths, and a large billboard.

Bo is the second-largest city in Sierra Leone after Freetown and serves as the capital of the Bo District and the Southern Province. The city is an important centre for trade, education, transportation, and administration. Historically, Bo served as the capital of the former Sierra Leone Protectorate from 1930 to 1961 and remains one of the country’s leading urban centres. 

The city is home to notable landmarks such as the Bo Clock Tower, Bo Stadium, and Bo Market, as well as educational institutions, including Bo School and Njala University. The post attracted reactions from users who appeared to believe that the image depicts the current state of Bo City.

Because of its potential to mislead, DUBAWA examined the claim to determine whether the image is authentic. A similar claim was also posted here and here. 

 Verification

A close examination of the image reveals several signs that it was generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The skyline shown in the image does not match Bo City’s known landscape. Bo is a major commercial and educational centre in Sierra Leone, but it does not have the cluster of ultra-modern skyscrapers depicted in the viral image. Available photographs, tourism materials, and official information about Bo City do not show any such structures. 

The image also contains several visual inconsistencies commonly associated with AI-generated content. These include unrealistic architectural designs, exaggerated urban infrastructure, and text elements that appear artificially inserted. The billboard message “CAM ENJOY YOU BO GARRI” and the futuristic city background further suggest digital creation rather than a real photograph.

DUBAWA used an AI tool called AI or Not, and the result showed that 99% of the image was AI-generated.

DUBAWA found no official records, government publications, city planning documents, or credible news reports indicating the existence of the gateway shown in the image. Neither the official information about Bo City nor its landmark descriptions mentions such a structure. 

Research shows that Bo is Sierra Leone’s second-largest city and capital, located in the Southern Province. It is known for its educational institutions, markets, commercial activities, Bo Stadium, and the historic Clock Tower. However, none of the available descriptions of the city resembles the futuristic landscape shown in the viral image.

Conclusion

DUBAWA’s findings show that the viral image claiming to depict Bo City is false. The image is AI-generated and does not represent any real location in Bo, Sierra Leone. No credible evidence exists to show that the gateway, skyscrapers, toll plazas, or cityscape featured in the image exist in the country.