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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Tinubu aide slams content creator over 'fake' terrorist video

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A presidential aide criticized content creator Nasboi for sharing a video of armed men, alleging it caused fear by misrepresenting it as a Nigerian event.
  • The aide stated the video originated from Benin Republic and had no connection to Nigeria, calling the creator's actions irresponsible.
  • The original video's source and exact posting date remain unverified, though similar footage has been linked to militant groups in the Sahel region.

A presidential aide has criticized Nigerian content creator and comedian Nasboi for allegedly spreading fear through a misleading video shared online. Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, accused Nasboi of irresponsibility for presenting footage of armed men as a Nigerian event when it reportedly originated elsewhere.

You cannot continue to intentionally use your page to spread fear @iamnasboi for whatever reason you might think you have.

— Dada OlusegunSpecial Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, criticizing content creator Nasboi.

Olusegun stated via his X (formerly Twitter) account that the video was sourced from a page identifying the individuals as terrorists from the Republic of Benin, not Nigeria. He argued that the footage had no connection to Nigeria and should not have been shared in a way that could cause public anxiety. "We have our challenges, but you using your wide reach to spread fear with a fake footage is the highest form of irresponsibility. You can do better!" Olusegun wrote.

The video, posted by Nasboi with the caption "PRESIDENT @officialABAT," depicted armed men on motorcycles in a rural setting. While such videos are sometimes released by militant groups operating in Nigeria and the Sahel, Punch could not independently verify the origin of this specific footage. Reports indicate that an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), recently claimed responsibility for an attack on Beninese army barracks near the Burkina Faso border, releasing footage of the assault.

The video you posted was clearly quoted from a page that says these are Beninese terrorists. This means the footage is from Benin Republic and has nothing to do with Nigeria.

— Dada OlusegunPresidential aide, explaining why he believes the video was misrepresented.

Olusegun did not provide further details about the video's original posting date or source, beyond his assertion that it depicted Beninese terrorists. The presidential aide's criticism highlights concerns about the spread of misinformation and its potential to incite fear and anxiety among the public, particularly when amplified by individuals with a large online following.

We have our challenges, but you using your wide reach to spread fear with a fake footage is the highest form of irresponsibility. You can do better!

— Dada OlusegunPresidential aide, expressing disappointment with Nasboi's actions.
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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