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Claim: A viral TikTok post claimed that Nigeria launched a missile strike on Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, targeting the country’s military head of state, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA found no evidence to support this claim. No credible media organisation reported such an attack, and the post shows clear signs of clickbait tactics.
Full Text
Burkina Faso has been in the global spotlight following its recent political transitions and regional realignments. Captain Ibrahim Traoré became the country’s leader in September 2022 after ousting Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, who had overthrown President Roch Kaboré earlier that year. These developments have drawn regional and international attention to the country’s democratic stability.
Alongside Mali and Niger, Burkina Faso was suspended from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following military takeovers in all three nations. In January 2024, the trio announced their decision to formally withdraw from ECOWAS, citing concerns over the bloc’s perceived overreach. They have since formed a new bloc — the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — to foster mutual defence and cooperation.
Reacting to their withdrawal, Nigeria, under its role as ECOWAS chair, expressed disappointment on Jan. 30, 2025. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised the decision as lacking good faith but extended an invitation for continued dialogue and cooperation.
Amid this diplomatic backdrop, a TikTok user “Celebrity Blogger” shared a post (archived here) on May 1, 2025, claiming that Nigeria had launched a missile strike on Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital.
The post reads: “Breaking News: Nigeria Launches First Missile Strike on Burkina Faso’s Capital, Targets President and Military Facilities. In a shocking escalation, the Nigerian military launched its first missile strike early this morning. Read the full News here: https://da.gd/hw5Q6X”
As of May 8, 2025, the post had garnered over 4,100 likes, 2,000 comments, and 460 shares.
A review of the comment section shows a mix of panic, disbelief, and scepticism.
Azi Atsen wrote, “I’m not in support of that disaster. Up, Burkina Faso, may God Almighty protect you, President Ibrahim.” However, POSSYPORCH wrote, “Burkina Faso, please don’t mind Tinubu, we no send am this one o.”
Otobong Friday, on the other hand, tagged it as false. “You should be reported for reporting fake news. We all need to report this account right now.”
The claim also appeared on Facebook, notably on a page named “UNITED NATIONS MISSION FOR REFERENDUM IN BIAFRALAND” by Igbo Times Magazine on May 4, 2025, further contributing to its virality, as seen here, here, here, and here.
Given the virality of the claim and its implications for diplomatic affairs in Nigeria, DUBAWA decided to fact-check it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches using phrases such as “Nigeria missile strike Burkina Faso,” “Tinubu missile Burkina Faso,” and “Ouagadougou missile attack” from the post. However, we did not find reports from credible local or international media outlets to corroborate the claim. This is a major red flag, given the scale and international consequences such an incident would carry.
We also found no official statement from the Nigerian government, Burkina Faso, or ECOWAS addressing a missile attack or military confrontation between the two nations.
We also tried using the shortened link to the TikTok post, but it did not lead to any reputable news report. Instead, it redirected users to trading and unrelated websites — a sign of clickbait content designed to generate traffic through sensational headlines.
An analysis of the URL included in the post using Wheregoes showed that it redirects to two other links: a page on www.ak.stikroltiltoowi.net and a page on AliExpress, an e-commerce website. Any Run, an interactive malware analysis tool, scanned the first redirect URL and determined that it contained malicious activity.
What does Nigeria’s constitution say?
Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) lays out strict procedures for declaring war. Section 5(4) stipulates that “the President shall not declare a state of war between the Federation and another country except with the sanction of a resolution of both Houses of the National Assembly sitting in a joint session” and “except with the prior approval of the Senate, no member of the armed forces of the Federation shall be deployed on combat duty outside Nigeria.”
Suppose the President believes the country’s security is under imminent threat; in that case, he may deploy armed forces members on a limited combat duty. This is based on whether he seeks the Senate’s consent within seven days.
Meanwhile, there is no public record that President Tinubu made such a request or that the National Assembly held any plenary session on this matter.
A precedent was set in August 2023, when lawmakers denied Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to Niger Republic following a coup there. A similar procedure would be expected and reported if military action were initiated against Burkina Faso.
Conclusion
There is no evidence that Nigeria launched a missile attack on Burkina Faso. The viral TikTok post is a fabricated story designed to mislead and drive traffic via clickbait tactics.
