An image shared on Facebook shows a man holding a placard that reads: “No coronavirus in Nigeria If you believe share.”
The post has been shared 38,000 times since it was posted in April 2020. And its claim is false.
Google and TinEye reverse image searches reveal that the image has been used several times since at least 2017 with different text on the placard. One says: “Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure.” Another has the same text in Spanish.
In what seems to be the original image, a white person is holding the placard. In the version posted in Nigeria, a black person’s face and arms have been superimposed on the original.
Africa Check has debunked several false claims that Nigeria has no Covid-19 cases.
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious diseases. An outbreak of a new coronavirus disease was identified in December 2019. It was later named Covid-19.
As at 26 May, Nigeria had 8,063 cases of Covid-19, with 233 deaths. More than 2,300 patients have recovered. – Fatima Abubakar
The post has been shared 38,000 times since it was posted in April 2020. And its claim is false.
Image photoshopped
Google and TinEye reverse image searches reveal that the image has been used several times since at least 2017 with different text on the placard. One says: “Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure.” Another has the same text in Spanish.
In what seems to be the original image, a white person is holding the placard. In the version posted in Nigeria, a black person’s face and arms have been superimposed on the original.
Africa Check has debunked several false claims that Nigeria has no Covid-19 cases.
Nigeria’s Covid-19 cases
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious diseases. An outbreak of a new coronavirus disease was identified in December 2019. It was later named Covid-19.
As at 26 May, Nigeria had 8,063 cases of Covid-19, with 233 deaths. More than 2,300 patients have recovered. – Fatima Abubakar
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
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Fact-checking claims by Nigerian presidential hopefuls at the Arise TV town hall
Three presidential election contenders recently outlined their plans if elected in 2023. We took a closer look at some of their claims.
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