VIDEO Shows Nigerians Arrested For Stealing Money In Gaza?

VIDEO Shows Nigerians Arrested For Stealing Money In Gaza?

On October 28, 2023, a post was shared on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “Breaking News: Two Afgan Eastern boys living in Gaza caught with stolen money while attempting to escape through the Egypt/Gaza border [sic].”

It’s worth noting that the term “Afgan Eastern” is an ethnic slur directed towards Igbos from southeast Nigeria. The post, which was originally shared by a supporter of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress, has been reposted almost 200 times.

Read Also BREAKING: Real Reasons Why I’m ‘Fighting’ Governor Fubara – Wike Opens Up

The accompanying video displays images of two individuals, a box containing money, a person raising the Palestinian flag, and a male narrator on screen.

The narrator asserts that the two individuals, referred to as “Chinaza” and “Ekperifuna,” were apprehended while trying to flee to Egypt after allegedly stealing “$1.6 million from their Palestinian boss lady in Gaza.”

Israel-Hamas conflict

Since October 7, Israel has conducted bombardments in the Palestinian territory of Gaza in response to attacks by Hamas militants. According to Israeli officials, around 1,400 people, primarily civilians, were killed in these attacks.

The health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, has reported that more than 8,500 people, predominantly civilians, have lost their lives in Gaza as of its latest count.

As of October 29, 2023, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that weeks of conflict have led to the displacement of over 1.4 million people.

The UN has also raised concerns about deteriorating civil order, as thousands of individuals have been involved in looting aid warehouses.

However, it’s important to note that the video in question does not depict Nigerians being arrested after stealing money from their Gazan employer.

Arrested in India

AFP Fact Check investigated the video and traced it to a TikTok account named “Dagger of Monrovia,” as indicated in the clip. The false claim was posted by this Liberian TikTok account on October 26, 2023. Comments on the post seemed to accept the allegations.

However, using the InVID-WeVerify video verification tool, AFP Fact Check determined that the image had been circulating online over a month before the Hamas attack on Israel.

The cybercrime police unit in the Indian city of Rachakonda posted the photos of the two individuals on X on August 24, 2023. (archived here)

The post also included an official statement stating that the two Nigerian nationals were apprehended in West Delhi on August 15, 2023, for engaging in fraudulent activities under the pretense of sending gift parcels. (archived here).

#Rachakonda cyber crimes
arrested two #Nigerian Nationals for making friends on #SocialMedia platforms and duping victims in the guise of sending #Gift parcels. Cr. No. 87/2023 of #RachakondaPoliceCommissionerate @RachakondaCop pic.twitter.com/JCeO8seFeZ

— Cyber Crime Rachakonda (@CyberCrimeRck) August 24, 2023

The individuals identified by the police were Omenonye Sylvester and Alimeke Endurance Chukkwuka, not “Chinaza” and “Ekperifuna” as mentioned in the video.

An Indian news outlet also reported on the arrests.

A reverse image search unveiled that the photo featuring the money had been uploaded online at least seven years ago. It was utilized as cover art for a song released on SoundCloud, an audio-sharing platform, on August 10, 2016. (archived here).

Credit: AFP