A viral video that purportedly showed Nigerian men weeping over a nationwide rice shortage has been debunked by fact-checking organization DUBAWA. The footage, shared on X and Facebook, was actually recorded at a funeral ceremony in Lagos State, not at a protest or outcry over food scarcity.
Origin of the Misleading Video
The video was posted by X user @Sello_Libramon with the caption: "Nigerian men were seen breaking down in tears and crying as a result of the ongoing shortages of rice across Nigeria…" By August 2, 2026, the post had amassed over 97,000 views, 960 likes, 360 reposts, 240 bookmarks, and 90 quotes. A similar version also spread on Facebook, fueling widespread reactions.
Many social media users took the claim at face value, using it to criticize Nigeria's economic situation. For instance, @Kareen_green commented, "I swear these people (Nigerians) are born retarded, after all that crying, they hop online and start telling us how wealthy they are." Another user, @WandileSzibaxa, wrote, "Nigerian politicians are actually evil. You can't sleep well as a politician knowing your people are starving like this." A third, @TheBlacpioneer, added, "There's something seriously wrong with this country and its people."
DUBAWA's Investigation
DUBAWA conducted a reverse image search using screenshots from the video, which led to matching footage on Instagram and Facebook. Those posts identified the men as mourners at the funeral of Toba Ajiboye, the organising secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Council. Television Continental (TVC) reported that Ajiboye's family and colleagues gathered in Lagos to pay their last respects.
Further keyword searches confirmed that Ajiboye, popularly known as Ijaya, was shot by unidentified gunmen in Lagos and died on July 14, 2026. A subsequent news report noted that family members, colleagues, friends, and supporters gathered in tears to bury him in Ketu, Lagos State, with "viral videos" showing a large crowd of mourners at the event.
No Evidence of Rice Shortage Crisis
DUBAWA found no credible reports of Nigerian men publicly weeping over a rice shortage anywhere in the country. The claim, which surfaced amid Nigeria's ongoing inflation and rising food prices, has no factual basis. The organization concluded that the footage is connected to the burial of the NURTW secretary in Lagos State, and that the claim attached to it is misleading.
This incident highlights the importance of verifying viral content before accepting it as truth, especially in times of economic hardship. Misinformation can spread quickly, but fact-checking organizations like DUBAWA play a crucial role in clarifying the facts.
