A Facebook post claimed that President Donald Trump of the United States (US) vowed to liberate the Igbos from NigeriaDonald was reelected and assumed office as the 47th US president on Monday, January 20, 2025A fact-checking platform investigated the viral claim that President Trump promised to make Biafra independentLegit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 4 years of experience in fact-checking and global affairs.
Awka, Anambra state – On February 11, 2025, a Facebook user, Olivercan Ezeigwe, posted a video with a caption that claims Donald Trump, the incumbent president of the United States (US), has started making moves to address the secessionist movement of the Igbos in Nigeria.
Igbo nationalism became a strong political and social force after the civil war. It has grown more militant since the 1990s, calling for the independence of the Biafran people and the establishment of their state.
A video surfaced online claiming Donald Trump backed the yearslong Biafra agitation.
Photo credits: Win McNamee, SOPA Images
Source: Getty ImagesEzeigwe wrote:
“The current president of the United States, Donald Trump, has now decided to look into the Biafra in Nigeria so they can be independent.” In the clip, Trump could be heard saying that he would turn to Nigeria for the liberation of the Igbos after he is done interfering in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The poster claimed Trump said:
“These people have suffered in the hands of the northern Muslim-dominated volks who continue ripping the natural resources of southern Nigeria, mainly the people of the United States of Biafra and Nnamdi Kanu. The Biafran leader should be released immediately.”Since it was posted, the video has garnered 458,000 views, over 2,00 reactions, and more than 600 comments, with some users believing the ‘news’.
Against this backdrop, a fact-checking platform, Dubawa, probed the claim.
The media platform stated that it subjected the video to Deepware, a video analysis tool, and the results showed that the clip was 82% altered.
It, therefore, concluded that the viral video of Trump promising to make Biafra independent was manipulated to paint a false narrative.
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) protest in South Africa.
Photo credit: Michele Spatari
Source: Getty ImagesRead more on Biafra:
Simon Ekpa: Nigerian Army provides major update on move to extradite Biafra separatist leaderBiafra: Enugu governor briefs Tinubu on IPOB’s sit-at-home, video surfacesFact-check on Biafra forces’ alleged killingEarlier, Legit.ng checked if there was evidence for the viral claim on the alleged soldiers’ killing by ‘Biafra forces’ in Abia state.
A Google reverse image search was done as well as a check on the official website of the Nigerian army.
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Source: Legit.ng
