Fact-check: Did VP-Elect Kashim Shettima Visit Bandits in an Unnamed Location?
Claim: A video of about 1.5minute is widely circulated on WhatsApp that is further shared on other social media platform, especially on Facebook post claiming that Nigeria’s vice president-elect, Sen. Kashim Shettima visited armed bandits in an unknown location in Nigeria
Full-Text: The footage wherein the claim was made reads: “See them here. APC Government… Nigeria vice president elected caught visiting bandits. OMG… Nigerians how did we get here? [sic].
Reacting, a Facebook user—Consti A. Otukudoh commented saying, “Your Vice President Elect in bed with his people the Bandits. Are you still wondering how he wants to tackle insecurity? He will unleash them on their political enemies. Want to know the victims? Your guess is as good as mine ???????? Make it go viral [sic]”
Verification: PRNigeria traced the origin of the circulated video to June 27, 2017. The video was 2 minutes and 51 seconds.
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The video was posted by Shettima himself when he was Governor of Borno State after paying an inspection visit to Lamisula Primary School during which additional classrooms were constructed to attract massive enrolment of out-of-school children, who were largely victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.
PRNigeria observed that the then governor of Borno Kashim Shettima in the video spoke multilingually in English, Hausa, and Kanuri and that the men in scarves and glasses were Fulani herdsmen.
However, the men carrying guns as seen in the footage were members of the Department of State Security Service (DSS).
Previously, PRNigeria fact checked similar claims of Shettima hobnobbing bandits and Boko Haram terrorists which turned out to be false or misleading.
Meanwhile, the VP-elect is notorious for his wisecracks with Fulani since he became Governor of Borno State, a short review of his social accounts can reveal.
Conclusion: Based on the facts gathered by PRNigeria, the claim that Vice-President-Elect Kashim Shettima visited bandits in an unnamed location.
Based on the verification of the footage, the PRNigeria discloses that the VP-Elect Kashim Shettima did not visit bandits in an unnamed location as the video was taken while he was inspecting a school project as the Governor of Borno State in 2017.
Shettima posted the video himself in June 2017 on his Facebook page after he visited a school meant to absorb victims of insurgency as then Governor of Borno State.
PRNigeria therefore concludes that the claim is not only MISLEADING but FALSE.
By PRNigeria
