Photo Source: DUBAWA.
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As trends and issues emerge online, misinformation and disinformation spread, influencing public conversation.
From claims about a new terrorist group in Nigeria to claims that the Sultan of Sokoto endorsed Bola Tinubu’s second term bid, DUBAWA verified several claims last week.
Below are some of the major claims from last week.
- Viral video shows new terrorist group in Nigeria
A Facebook user posted a video and claimed that the people in the video are a new terrorist group in Nigeria.
DUBAWA investigated the video and found an earlier version shared on June 4, 2026. We found the video was linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) and the armed wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), a political movement in South Sudan led by Riek Machar.
Read more here.
2. Sultan of Sokoto endorses Tinubu for second term
An X user claimed that the Sultan of Sokoto publicly endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term during a live television appearance.
DUBAWA conducted a keyword search using key phrases from the claim but found no credible reports supporting the assertion.
However, we traced the claim to a video recorded during the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Conference of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) held in Abuja on Wednesday, July 30, 2026.
During this conference, the Sultan commended the President for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, but did not endorse him.
Read more here.
3. Bandits kidnap Katsina State judge
A Facebook page claimed that bandits kidnapped a Sharia Court judge, while he was presiding over a court session in Bauren Zakat village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches of credible media outlets that reported the claim, but found none. However, the search revealed that suspected bandits attacked a different Sharia Court in Gwarjo, Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State but the presiding judge, Mohammed Muktar, escaped before the gunmen entered the court premises.
Further searches showed that the claimant’s post happened five years ago. Read more here.
4. Plateau State governor apologises to Biafrans
A Facebook user shared a video showing Plateau State Governor Mutfwang apologising to Biafrans, saying the Nigerian government deceived Plateau people into fighting them during the Nigerian Civil War.
DUBAWA investigated the claim and found a Cable report, which revealed the governor apologised to Igbo leaders during a meeting for the role the Plateau people played in the Nigerian Civil War.
We did not, however, find any report stating that the governor apologised to Biafrans or made the specific remarks contained in the video shared by the Facebook user.
DUBAWA also discovered that the video used by the claimant is AI-generated.
Read more here.
5. Bungudu LG chairperson killed
A Facebook page shared a post claiming that Fulani terrorists have killed the chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area (LGA), Zamfara State.
Credible news outlets such as Premium Times and Blueprint newspaper reported that the chairman remained in captivity, contradicting the Facebook claim that he had been killed.
Read more here.
