A viral video which depicts hundreds of youths in Kano State protesting and burning billboards ahead of nationwide protest against economic hardship in Nigeria, has surfaced online particularly on X (formerly Twitter).
The 0:19 seconds footage showed angry youths burning political billboards displaying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kano Governor Abba Yusuf Kabir and Ado Ahmed. The protesting youths held placards but the inscription on the cards could not be read due to the poor quality of the footage.
An X user @EmmaMilleLJnr posted the claim on July 26, 2024, with a caption that reads: “Kano has started their protest. As I always said, the revolution that will change the trajectory of the country will start from Kano”.
The claim has been viewed 30.8k, reposted 136, quoted 35, liked 200 and bookmarked 17 as of press time.
The claim was widely shared as seen here and here
CLAIM
Kano Youths Protesting Ahead Of Nationwide Protest Against Hardship In Nigeria
THE FINDINGS
Findings by WikkiTimes show that the claim is misleading.
When WikkiTimes subjected screenshots of the footage to Google Lens, the result showed that the earlier version of the clip was uploaded on a YouTube channel one week before the said ongoing protest in Kano city.
Further, a keyboard search showed that Just Event Online Publication tweeted the same footage on X on May 24, 2024, stating that some residents of Gaya in Kano staged a protest against the dissolution of their emirate by the state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The caption thus reads, “Residents of Gaya in Kano State on Sunday took to the streets to protest against the dissolution of the Gaya Emirate by state govt
“The 19 seconds video obtained by Just Event Online TV shows hundreds of Youths are showing displeasure over the state government’s action”.
VERDICT
The claim that the video showed Kano youths protesting ahead of nationwide protest over hardship is misleading; findings show that the video was recorded when residents of Gaya protested over the dissolution of five emirates by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf which included their monarch, Aliyu Ibrahim in May 2024.
