FACT CHECK: Video From Mali Falsely Shared As Terrorists Entering Kwara Community
A viral video circulating on social media has been falsely presented as showing terrorists entering Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, findings by Daily Trust have shown. The claim originated from an X user, @sm_CEE10, who posted the footage on June 10, 2026, with the caption: “Larger numbers of Fulani terrorists seen entering Ifelodun […]
A viral video circulating on social media has been falsely presented as showing terrorists entering Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, findings by Daily Trust have shown.
The claim originated from an X user, @sm_CEE10, who posted the footage on June 10, 2026, with the caption: “Larger numbers of Fulani terrorists seen entering Ifelodun LGA of Omupo this morning, as elements of the Nigeria Army and Africa Corps have seemingly collapsed across the country upon almost immediate contact with the FLA.”
As of this fact-check, the post had generated more than 61,000 views, 306 likes, and 193 comments. Given the security implications of the claim and Nigeria’s fragile security environment, Daily Trust subjected the video to verification.
Findings
Using open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, including the InVid video verification tool and Google Reverse Image Search, Daily Trust traced the footage to earlier publications online. The investigation revealed that the video was not recorded in Nigeria.
A reverse-image search led to a version of the footage uploaded about a month earlier on a foreign video-sharing platform, News Tube. The video carried the Russian-language caption: “Армия Мали заявила о нападении боевиков на военные базы по всей стране – 3.”
The caption translates to: “The Malian army reported militant attacks on military bases across the country – 3.”
Further checks showed that the same footage had been posted on April 25, 2026, by TikTok user @Osintdefender, who described it as: “Larger numbers of militants seen entering Mali’s capital of Bamako this morning, as elements of the Malian Army and Africa Corps have seemingly collapsed across the country upon almost immediate contact with the FLA and JNIM.”
The evidence indicates that the footage was recorded in Mali and relates to militant activities there, not in Nigeria.
Daily Trust found no credible evidence linking the video to Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State or to any recent security incident in the country.
Why It Matters
The claim surfaced amid heightened concerns over insecurity in Nigeria, where terrorist attacks, banditry, and communal violence continue to pose significant challenges.
Security-related misinformation can trigger panic, inflame ethnic tensions, and mislead the public about ongoing security operations. Experts therefore advise members of the public to verify the authenticity of such content before sharing it.
Verdict: False
The video does not show terrorists entering Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State, Nigeria. Evidence from reverse-image searches and earlier online publications shows that the footage originated in Mali and had been circulating online for weeks before it was falsely linked to Nigeria. The claim is therefore misleading.