Image of gunmen: Source: Channels TV
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Claim: A Facebook user, Israel Mossad, shared a video showing armed men and captives, purporting them as part of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Verdict: False. The video is old and unrelated to a “Christian persecution” as claimed.
Full Text
On April 20, 2026, a Facebook user, Israel Mossad, shared a video (archived link here) showing gun-wielding men guarding individuals who appear to be captives. Israel claims the video depicts Christians currently facing persecution in Nigeria.
The caption reads, “Christians are currently facing significant challenges in Nigeria. May God protect and guide them until the day we rise against the terrorist regime.”
As of April 20, 2026, the video had generated over 184,000 views, more than 3,400 likes, 1,600 comments, and over 1,500 shares.
The post also triggered emotional reactions from users. One user, Alkebulan Pple, wrote, “What about Christians in Lebanon and Palestine?”
Another user, Zoe Consults, questioned, “They are wearing the Nigerian army uniform, what’s the meaning of this, please?”
Romanus Okafor stated, “America and Israel should come to our aid in Nigeria to save lives.”
Similarly, Olajide Matthew Olusegun expressed distress, saying, “I’m just short of words. I don’t know what to say. God Almighty, please come to our rescue in Nigeria… Christians and Christianity need your help.”
Kayormi Seed also reacted, asking, “Can’t Christians also return the same energy?”
The post surfaced amid recurring claims on social media alleging targeted violence or Christian genocide in Nigeria. This recent trend prompted us to verify the video’s authenticity and context.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a reverse image search using keyframes from the video and found that the footage is not recent. We traced the video to a Facebook post by Magic FM, Aba, in June 2023. The video was said to be footage of villagers kidnapped by bandits in Niger State.
According to the post by Magic FM Aba, the victims were abducted from Kafin Koro and Kwagana wards in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, with the attackers threatening to kill them if ransom was not paid.
Further checks show that the same video was also published by Linda Ikeji’s Blog and Tori News in June 2023, both describing it as a bandit attack involving kidnapped villagers of Kafin Koro and Kwagana wards in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.
There is no evidence linking the footage to any recent incident or showing it was an attack targeted at Christians, as claimed.
Conclusion
The claim is false because the video is outdated and has been taken out of context. The video shows a 2023 bandit attack in Niger State, not a current incident of religious persecution.
