Bandits in Nigeria. Photo Source: BBC
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Claim: An X user shared a video alleging that Fulani terrorists are now training themselves on how to operate drones.
Verdict: Misleading. DUBAWA found that the footage is not recent. It is an old video that first surfaced in May 2024 and has been recycled with a false timeline.
Full Text
An X user on July 9, 2026, shared a 45-second video (archived here) claiming that Fulani terrorists had begun training on how to operate drones.
The post was captioned “Fulani terrorists are now training themselves on how to operate drones. We are in a long battle.”
The footage shows several young men gathered in what appears to be a forested location. One individual lies on the ground while another operates a drone using a remote controller as others watch excitedly.
As of July 13, 2026, the post had generated more than 140,200 views, 97 replies, 203 reposts, 474 likes, and 182 bookmarks.
The claim attracted mixed reactions from users.
One X user, @olamidedad, asked, “Who buys them drones, for God’s sake?”
Another user, @LibraryCos78, wrote, “These people are really advancing in this game of terrorism and banditry. They are not joking at all.”
The claim also went viral on Facebook and YouTube.
Given the heightened security threat and implications of the claim, DUBAWA decided to investigate it.
Verification
DUBAWA analysed the footage using the InVID verification tool and extracted keyframes for reverse image searches.
The searches traced the footage to a publication on May 19, 2024, by Daily Trust with a headline captioned “Bandits spotted flying drone at unknown location.” The report noted that Zagazola Makama posted the video on X. Zagazola described the video as bandits gaining expertise in drone operation.
DUBAWA also found a similar report published by Tori.ng on May 20, 2024, which referenced the same video and quoted Zagazola Makama’s warning.
“Can you imagine the consequences of these criminals having the technical knowledge of operating this equipment? Imagine bandits are flying drones, adopting the use of technologies and social media handles like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. We have to wake up.”
Frame-by-frame comparison confirmed that the recent clip was simply a trimmed portion of the original 2024 footage, not evidence of a new incident.
The duration of the old video was one minute 46 seconds, while that of the recycled video was 45 seconds. Both videos show identical footage, indicating that the recycled video omits 58 seconds from the original.
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches to find if a recent development was reported but found no credible report indicating that the footage was recorded in 2026 or that there was a similar drone-training exercise by Fulani terrorists.
Conclusion
The claim that the viral video shows Fulani terrorists recently training to operate drones is misleading. DUBAWA found that the footage has been online since May 2024 and was repackaged with a false timeline to make it appear to be a new development.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.
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