JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Verify five claims created by Facebook pages with the Pseudo-News site
Background:
Facebook page, Express, with 15 thousand new followers, made a series of claims about China who ordered their citizens to leave Nigeria to follow intense shots in the Rivers State Government Building, among others.
The Facebook page operates the Pseudo-News, Dailyexcesive website, which bombars visitors with advertisements. Also, links added to posts are often different from the stories that emerge after a series of advertisements have been displayed.
About Facebook pages
According to the information section below the Facebook page transparency page, this page was created on June 9, 2019 under the name ‘Express Newsng’ and was changed to ‘Express’ on April 11, 2020. This page is managed by 4 people based in ABA, Nigeria. But the number on the page is the US number. This identifies itself as a media/news company on Facebook, and as “number one entertainment hub” on its website.
Decision:
Post by Facebook pages and fake Pseudo-News website; The stories are not only misleading but can also incite violence. Website assessment with verification reveals that it has low ranking and shows “characteristics or content that can pose a risk”.
On Friday 4, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered his citizens to leave Nigeria as “Chinese Intelligence Eyes” said the country was under Islamic countries in Iraq and Syrian siege (ISIS).
“Breaking News: Has has taken control of Nigeria with the guise of shepherds,” the main header of the article rang.
In the third paragraph, the article includes other narratives. It reads: “Ball President Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his desire to find a third term of office, regardless of constitutional limitations.
Speaking at a meeting close to the top political allies, Tinubu reportedly stated that he would “love” to face the former President Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election, if there was an opportunity. “
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria reported that there were no reports that the Chinese President ordered his citizens to leave Nigeria because of security issues. There is no information like that on the Chinese embassy website in Nigeria too.
After clicking on the link inherent in the post, a three-paragraph story that is not coherent that appears gives the source of the story as “Chinese Intelligence Spy”, while concludes the same story as a story made about President Tinubu who wants to face the former President of Buhari, a member of all progressive congress decisions.
Claim 2:
On Friday 4, militants took control of the Rivers state government building.
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria remembered that on March 18, President Tinubu suspected the Governor of the State of the Siminaayi Fubara river, his deputy and all members of the parliament were elected for six months for the political brouhaha in the state. The President then put up a single administrator, Deputy Admiral Ibok-Ett Ibas (RTD) to oversee state affairs.
Media reports show that militants have threatened oil production in the state, with a shake facility to explosion in various parts of the state in the past week.
However, there were no reports of weapons duels in the state government building as suggested by the post. The latest report from the state building is the announcement of the 2025 budget by the state administrator.
Using Google Reverse images in the images attached to the post, Nigeria’s ripples found that the two first pictures appeared online in 2020 and 2021, taken at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos State. Each of them, the photos showed protesters, and police officers at Tollgate at the February 13th meeting to commemorate the victims of #Endsars protests that occurred in 2020.
Pictures from 2020 were arrested on the #endsars protest night, while others were arrested in 2021 when police officers gathered ahead of memory protests in 2021. Source: Media Report.
Another picture in the post has been online since 2019; They have been repeatedly used in the media to report fire incidents.
Image has been online since 2019. Source: Media Report.
Claim 3:
Chinese President Jinping said he did not consider Nigeria as a country, but as “a mini company created by Britain in Africa which operates under the name Nigeria.”
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria observed that the article was published on April 3, and was shared by 13 people with two comments.
The findings show that the website does not include the source in the story, or where the Chinese President should make a statement. Also, the article quickly turned to other Chinese-Nigerian problems in the third paragraph.
There are no reports that show that Chinese leaders make such statements.
Claim 4:
“IGBO officers in the US Air Force swear to destroy Nigerian military assets if the war broke out between Igbos and Nigeria”.
Attached to the post is a picture of the US Air Force personnel and Nnamdi Kanu, a leader detained from the original Biafra group (IPOB).
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria identified the image of Air Force officers attached to the post as Kelechi Ndukwe, the first Nigerian American who was appointed as the US Navy Warship Commander in 2021.
Ripples Nigeria reports that there are no sources in the entire 4-paragraph story. There is no evidence that Air Force personnel made such a statement.
Claim 5:
“Breaking News: Nnamdi Kanu saw Kenya Airways flights when the Nigerian government moved it back to Kenya”.
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria reported that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Biafra indigenous community was first arrested in 2015 because of crime including betrayal and terrorism, but gave guarantees in 2017 after that he fled the country. He was later arrested in 2021 in Kenya, and has been detained by the State Service Department since then.
Since then, Kanu has gone to court from DSS detention; This new report shows that the leader of IPOB is optimistic that his release in April.
On April 4, the media quoted the President General of the IGBO Community Association (ICA), Federal Capital Region (FCT), Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe as a recent source of statement from Kanu.
Conclusion:
Facebook pages with the Pseudo-News site have been found to share posts with unreasonable and misleading claims about Nigeria.
By: Quadri Yahya
Join the conversation
Supports Nigeria’s ripples, resistant Journalism Solutions
A balanced and fearful journalism that is driven by data comes with enormous financial costs.
As a media platform, we ask for leadership accountability and will not trade the right to suppress freedom and freedom of speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and ready to uphold journalism solutions, friendly Nigerian ripples cause.
Your support will help ensure that residents and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for community development.
Donation now
