A viral video circulating on Instagram and X, purportedly showing Christians in Nigeria being massacred and sold into slavery, has been debunked as false. The footage actually originates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and has no connection to Nigeria.
Origin of the Viral Video
The post, shared by Instagram user @Apostleamosngosha, depicted a group of men and women walking in a file with their hands bound behind their backs, visibly distressed, while armed men in unidentified uniforms escorted them along a muddy road. The caption read: "This is what's happening in Nigeria. Christians are being massacred, and many of them are being sold into slavery. Did you know Islam started slavery when they captured North Africa?"
By June 28, 2026, the post had accumulated over 59 likes and 22 comments on Instagram, while the same content spread widely across X and Facebook, attracting thousands of additional likes and views. An X user, @globalrevival91, amplified the claim with identical wording, while another user, Prince Robinson, questioned it, writing: "Are police officers now kidnappers because I saw a police officer with a long gun in front of these innocent people?"
Fact-Check Traces Video to the DRC
Fact-checkers at DUBAWA conducted a keyword search and found no Nigerian news reports linked to the events depicted. A reverse image search on keyframes from the footage led to earlier versions of the video posted in May 2026, several months before the claim linking it to Nigeria began circulating.
A post by Kivumorningpost.cd (@KivuMorningPost) identified the same video as showing hundreds of civilians from South Kivu who were arrested in the Kunda region of Ituri province in the DRC. This finding prompted further searches, which surfaced a Radio Okapi report published on May 14, 2026. Radio Okapi is a United Nations-backed radio station operating in the DRC.
Details from Radio Okapi Report
The French-language report, reviewed via Google Translate, stated that security sources confirmed the detained individuals were mostly young people from South Kivu. Their presence in the Kunda area was considered suspicious by security forces, though sources indicated the individuals had arrived gradually to engage in agricultural work and gold mining activities.
The video was taken entirely out of context. The incident occurred in the DRC in May 2026 and bears no relation to Nigeria, Nigerian Christians, or any claim of religiously motivated killings or enslavement. The false narrative attached to the footage exploits a sensitive religious and security context to mislead viewers across multiple platforms.
Broader Context of Security Misinformation
This false claim comes amid ongoing security challenges in parts of Nigeria, including banditry and terrorism. Legit.ng earlier reported that the Katsina government has maintained silence on the arrest of suspected terrorist leaders at the airport after the Hajj pilgrimage. Earlier, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, revealed that seven ISWAP and Boko Haram commanders were arrested and handed to the DSS. Public reaction to Katsina's statement highlighted concerns over the state government's lack of transparency on security issues.
Fact-checkers emphasize the importance of verifying viral content before sharing, especially when it involves sensitive religious or regional claims. The video in question has been definitively linked to the DRC, not Nigeria.
