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The continuous spread of misinformation across social media and other platforms underscores the need for verification, media literacy, and information literacy.
This week, DUBAWA covered controversial issues from false political and health information to fabricated stories, both in Nigeria and internationally.
Here’s a breakdown of the top claims we debunked.
- 10 police officers killed in Sokoto bandit attack
An X user shared a video claiming that Fulani Islamic jihadists ambushed and killed 10 Nigerian police officers in Sokoto State.
DUBAWA investigated the video and found that the incident occurred in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State. However, reports and a statement from the Sokoto State Police Command confirmed that only one police officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bala Wakili, was killed in the attack, and two patrol vehicles were burnt.
Read more here.
- Liberia’s 2023 maternal mortality rate was 742 per 100,000
The Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, Mohammed Ali, claimed in a Facebook post that Liberia’s maternal mortality rate in 2023 was 742 per 100,000 live births.
DUBAWA contacted the claimant to provide the source of the claim, but he did not respond. We also reviewed data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank Gender Data Portal, which showed that Liberia’s maternal mortality rate in 2023 was 628 per 100,000 live births, not 742.
Read more here.
- NAFDAC approves Madam F Kayes Bitter and Asheitu Adam’s Bitter
Claims circulating on social media suggest that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approved two herbal products, Madam F Kayes Bitter and Asheitu Adam’s Bitter.
DUBAWA investigated the claims by checking the NAFDAC product verification portal using the licence numbers displayed on the products’ labels.
We found that neither Madam F Kayes Bitter nor Asheitu Adam’s Bitter was approved by NAFDAC, making the claim false.
Read more here.
- Image shows new city of Sanniquellie
A viral image circulating online claims to show the newly developed city of Sanniquellie, the capital of Nimba County, Liberia.
DUBAWA investigated the claim and found that although there have been improvements to the streets of Sanniquellie, the image circulating online is AI-generated.
DUBAWA also contacted a journalist based in Sanniquellie, who said the image looked too polished to be an actual photograph of the city. A recent video of Sanniquellie showed the viral image was not authentic.
Read more here.
