IN SHORT: An Instagram post claims that a vigilante group has registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission. But Africa Check has found no proof to support this claim.
A post on Instagram claims that a group known as the Nomad Vigilante Nigeria has been registered as a private company with Nigeria's business registry.
The post features a photo of a “certificate of incorporation of a private company limited by shares”.
The post was published on 1 February 2024 by an account with over 260,000 followers. Similar posts can also be found on X (formerly Twitter) here, here and here.
But is the certificate authentic? We checked.
About Nomad group
The Nomad vigilante group was established in Nigeria’s Nasarawa state on 17 January 2024. It was formed by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural organisation.
The group’s national president Bello Bodejo said it would help law enforcement agencies to tackle crime in the state.
Many Nigerians condemned the establishment of the vigilante group. A columnist in a national newspaper called it a “patently skewed outfit that has the potential of degenerating into an ethnic militia group, further worsening the already deplorable security situation in the country”.
But has the group been registered?
Africa Check could find no evidence of the group’s online presence. It does not have a website or social media accounts. Many companies list the agencies they're registered with on their website.
The post claims that the group is registered with Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). But we couldn’t find any record of “Nomad Vigilante Nigeria Ltd” on the CAC’s website. The commission regulates and supervises the formation and management of companies in the country. If a business is not registered with the CAC, it is not allowed to operate in Nigeria.
Africa Check contacted the commission but was told to verify the group’s registration with a CAC agent or a registered attorney. We reached out to attorney barrister Adaugo Ebuzeme.
“No such organisation is registered,” he said after checking with the CAC.
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