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Claim: An X user posted a video alleging the Nigerian government is supplying food and ammunition to terrorists with helicopters.
Verdict: False! The video is from 2021 in the Central African Republic (CAR). It shows an African Parks helicopter conducting a routine resupply mission, not supplying materials to bandits as claimed.
Full Text
Nigeria has been severely impacted by the activities of armed bandits, who have terrorised communities across various regions, particularly in the northern part of the country. These criminal groups have been responsible for widespread violence, including mass killings, kidnappings, and the destruction of property.
On Sep. 4, 2024, an X user, Expope (@XYHWHX), uploaded a video showing a white helicopter landing to distribute some items to the people on the ground.
He alleged that the Nigerian government dispatched a helicopter to deliver food and ammunition to Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader in Nigeria, and his associates.
The almost three-minute video was posted with the caption, “Here is the Nigerian government sending a Helicopter to supply food and ammunition to Turji and his colleagues.”
Given Nigeria’s long-standing history of bandit-related violence, many users on the social media platform seemed inclined to believe the claim. When this report was being compiled, the video had garnered 21,000 views, 136 likes, and 49 comments, causing significant attention and sparking widespread reactions.
Reacting to the post, an X user, Sebastine Ene (@NNN1stargirl), wrote, “What a shame, chai.”
Another user, StallionDH_Crypt (@StallionDh) wrote, “What in God’s name is this??”
“You people should be careful what you post online, always remember there is (a) law against fake news.” Chinaka Ugwu (@CYCHINAKA) cautioned.
The video’s rapid spread highlighted the deep mistrust many citizens hold toward the authorities, particularly in regions most affected by banditry. This prompted DUBAWA to investigate the claim.
Verification
We conducted a reverse image search on a screenshot from the video and discovered that the same footage had been shared earlier in 2021. It was posted on an X account, Standard Observers (@standardobservers), on December 10, 2021. The caption accompanying the video “Helicopter spotted supplying materials to bandits,” closely mirrors the current claim online. This finding indicates that the video is not recent.
A keyword search on the available evidence led us to a statement by Africa Parks. This non-profit conservation organisation partners with governments and local communities to take on the responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in some African countries. The statement was also from Dec. 2021.
The statement showed that the event occurred in the Central African Republic, and the helicopter belonged to African Parks, which was on a rescue mission in Chinko. The helicopter was being used to support the evacuation and rescue of personnel, not to supply materials to bandits, as implied in the post.
“African Parks can confirm that this video shows its helicopter conducting a routine resupply mission on December 4, 2021, in Chinko, Central African Republic, which it manages in partnership with the CAR Government. During this mission, the helicopter was transporting Chinko’s transhumance sensitization teams and their supplies within the park, deploying a team and their supplies in the field while recovering another team from the field.” part of the statement read.
Finally, we checked if any reputable media organisation reported the incident as suggested by the claimant and found none.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the viral video claiming that a helicopter was supplying food and ammunition to bandits in Nigeria is false. The footage came from 2021 in the Central African Republic.
