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Hoax-alert: Image of BBC news story on Nigeria’s MMM finance network photoshopped

This article is more than 7 years old

download"MMM Nigeria Reduces Poverty in Nigeria by 20%," reads a caption on an image of BBC newsreader Nicholas Owen recently shared online and on social media.

The caption goes on to say that the “UK government advises Buhari lead [sic] government to use MMM to create jobs”.

MMM, which calls itself “a community of ordinary people, selflessly helping each other, a kind of the Global Fund of mutual aid” has been controversial in Nigeria. Its proponents say the community provides real financial bailout but sceptics say it is a Ponzi scheme.

The image, however, is a hoax.

Using Google reverse image search, Africa Check found that the original caption read “British hostage released: British national released after operation in Yemen”. We have asked the BBC to confirm this and will update this report should they respond. - 02/12/2016

 

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