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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

COVID grant rumor sparks stampede at Jigawa secretariat

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A viral social media message falsely claimed residents with COVID-19 vaccination cards would receive a N75,000 grant, causing crowds to gather at a local government secretariat in Jigawa State, Nigeria.
  • Disappointed residents who traveled to the Gumel Local Government secretariat found the information to be a rumor, as no such payment was announced by any government agency.
  • Local government and state health officials have debunked the claim, urging the public to disregard the rumor and verify information from official sources to prevent the spread of fake news.

Crowds flocked to the Gumel Local Government secretariat in Jigawa State, Nigeria, on Tuesday, driven by a viral social media rumor promising a N75,000 grant for individuals possessing COVID-19 vaccination cards. Many abandoned their daily activities, only to be met with disappointment upon discovering the information was false.

I saw on WhatsApp that Corona card holders will collect N75,000 today. I came early but found nothing here.

— Idris SaniA resident describing his disappointment after traveling to the secretariat based on a viral social media message.

The rumor, spread via WhatsApp and other messaging platforms, instructed residents to bring their vaccination cards to claim the purported grant. Millions of residents had received COVID-19 vaccinations between 2021 and 2023, receiving cards as proof.

The rumour was that the government wants to pay vaccinated people. I brought my card, but officials told us it’s fake news.

— Maryamu SalisuAnother resident expressing her disappointment upon discovering the grant information was false.

Idris Sani, who traveled 15 kilometers from his village, expressed his frustration. "I saw on WhatsApp that Corona card holders will collect N75,000 today. I came early but found nothing here," he said. Maryamu Salisu shared her disappointment, stating, "The rumour was that the government wants to pay vaccinated people. I brought my card, but officials told us it’s fake news."

The news has no basis at all. No government agency announced any N75,000 grant for COVID-19 card holders.

— Hussaini GumelSpecial Adviser to the Gumel Local Government Council Chairman on New Media, debunking the grant rumor.

Hussaini Gumel, Special Adviser to the Gumel Local Government Council Chairman on New Media, officially declared the N75,000 grant claim baseless. "The news has no basis at all. No government agency announced any N75,000 grant for COVID-19 card holders," he stated, urging residents to verify information before acting on it. The Jigawa State Ministry of Health, through Public Relations Officer Sagir Nayaya, also confirmed no such payment program exists, labeling it misinformation. Nayaya advised the public to confirm news from official government websites or accredited media outlets.

No ministry of health programme is disbursing N75,000 to Corona card holders. This is misinformation.

— Sagir NayayaPublic Relations Officer for the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, confirming the lack of any official payment program.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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