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On January 2, 2021, a video started circulating on social media about an attack on herders in Ebonyi State, South-East Nigeria.
People sharing the clip claim that herdsmen of Fulani tribe - primarily Muslim individuals scattered throughout many parts of West Africa - were chased out of Ebonyi state.
On some social media pages, the purported chase was said to have been orchestrated by a faceless vigilante group, Eastern Security Network (ESN). It raised dust, caused panic and tension.
ESN, created by Nnamdi Kanu, the diaspora-based leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed group canvassing for the secession of Eastern Nigeria, said it is intent on 'defending the territories of the region from terrorism and extra-judicial killings'.
The 2 minutes 46 seconds clip, only depicting some persons in a rural environment with their properties outside, has been shared extensively by some pro-Biafra disinformation machinery on Facebook and Twitter.
We sift through this video that said that Fulani herdsmen were evicted from their homes in Ebonyi State and tell you what not to believe.
Using InVID to carry out reverse video search on the footage, we discovered that it was first uploaded on YouTube by 'As Edey Hot Biafra Television' on January 2, 2021.
A man speaking in English was saying that the Fulani people have destroyed their properties and that they are being kicked out 'because Fulani and Miyetti Allah are not loved in the state'.
Indeed, it was filmed in Ebonyi L.G.A of Ebonyi State, but the narrative was fallacious.
Since the announcement of the creation of the ESN on 12 December 2020, separatists have repeatedly claimed Fulani herdsmen were chased out of some South-East states, notably, Ebonyi.
Videos are most times posted online, with bogus captions.
One of such videos was one uploaded by a Facebook user on December 24, 2020, where he wrote: "Eastern Security Network Chase Fulani Herdsmen Out Of Ebonyi State".
In the December 24 video sighted, except that some lanky African men were conversing in their local dialect in the bush, there is no evidence that proves that Fulani herdsmen were booted out.
Inusa Sani, Secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Ebonyi Chapter, criticised the misleading video, labelling it “fake news’’.
“The video is an orchestrated attempt by mischief makers and enemies of peace.
“What happened was that on January 2, one of us, Alhaji Adamu, residing at Ozibo Village in Nkaleke Ichaba/Enyibishiri community, informed the association of his relocation to Taraba State.
“I use this opportunity to urge the general public to disregard the video in circulation and no Fulani herdsman was attacked or chased out of Ebonyi State,’’ Sani said according to Nigerian Newspaper, The Guardian.
The reason Alhaji Adamu is resettling cannot be ascertained as at the time of publishing this report.
But AllNews is aware some herders recently said they are relocating due to constant persecution by some communities in Ebonyi State.
The Police Command in Ebonyi had on the 3rd of January, 2021, issued a statement noting that Fulani herdsmen were not recently attacked or being chased out of the state.
Speaking at a news conference, Philip Maku, Commissioner of Police in the state, asked the public to disregard the video.
“The general public should disregard the video in circulation, which is misleading and fake. Keep going about your normal business and support the security agencies and state government at ensuring that those behind the evil plot are fished out,’’ Maku stated.
IPOB, known for using propaganda tools, in a Press Release on January 5, 2021, slammed the governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, for ordering the arrest of persons circulating the video.
In its statement, IPOB encouraged people to continue sharing the video.
The controversial group said citizens of Ebonyi State are within their rights to circulate the said video.
"Governor Umahi is fully aware that the same Fulani killer herdsmen he is protecting have recently renamed Agbabor community close to Uburu town in Onicha Local Government Area to Aruu.
"What has he done to reverse this affront? Instead of hiding his face in shame that terrorists are now renaming Ebonyi communities under his watch, Umahi is busy threatening patriotic Biafrans who are merely exposing the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen in their communities.
"We, therefore, advise Governor Umahi and his Miyetti Allah handlers to make sure nothing happens to citizens of Ebonyi State who are within their rights to share the said video," IPOB had said.
Nurudeen Yusuf is a Nigerian legal practitioner and human rights activist. He says "it is absolutely wrong to deliberately spread untrue information on the internet".
"The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right to freedom of information, under Section 39, sub 1. And the same provision, under Article 19 of African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, gave humans the liberty to talk, to say whatever they want to say," Yusuf told AllNews.
"However, these rights have some limitations, under the criminal code act, what we call criminal defamation.
"And I think some Nigerian states have domesticated these laws.
"One of such is section 86, sub 1A of the criminal code act. That's the law applicable.
"By section 61 of the criminal code act, it is punishable for you to deliberately defame another person. The same provision under section 60.
"And these offences are punishable by 60 years imprisonment.
"When you use the internet specifically, under section 86 sub 1A, of the same criminal code act, there are punishments for it under the law.
"What I am trying to underscore is that, in as much as you have the right to freedom of expression, freedom of speech, there are limitations within the bounds of the law.
"So, it is absolutely wrong; it is not legally permitted for anybody to deliberately spread fake news on the internet.
"Lately, there is the social media regulation bill.
"But it has not been passed into law. It met a lot of resistance.
"Because of the fact that we are in a Democracy, where civil liberty is permitted, this law could not sail through.
"But I still think it would not be out of place if there are some form of regulation in using the internet."
READ ALSO: Billionaire Businessman Sends ‘Key’ Message To Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB On Biafra Declaration
On January 2, 2021, a video started circulating on social media about an attack on herders in Ebonyi State, South-East Nigeria. The clip was shared aggressively on social networks for at least four days.
Key stakeholders' accounts show that a Northern Nigerian Muslim was simply relocating to another state - of his own accord.
Based on this evidence, we rate the video’s claim as incorrect.
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