Claim: Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, is dead and has been replaced in the statehouse with a lookalike.
Verdict: False. The picture is a manipulated version of Buhari’s official portrait as president that was released in 2015.
Verdict: False. The picture is a manipulated version of Buhari’s official portrait as president that was released in 2015.
A Facebook page that purports to be run by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, shared a picture with its over half a million followers on November 30. The post shows President Muhammadu Buhari ㅡ but a chubbier version of the man.
“Buhari appears to be dead and replaced by a body double because he is wracked by the ravages of dementia ~ Farooq Kperogi • November 28, 2020,” he started by quoting a newspaper columnist and Associate Professor of Journalism at Kennesaw State University.
He then made an oft-repeated claim by members of IPOB: “All of you will keep dancing around the glaring truth that original Buhari rigged into Aso Rock in 2015 is dead and buried in a shallow grave in Saudi Arabia until you are all dead at the hands of Fulani terrorists ..
he created and supported.”
“Buhari is long dead. Imagine the 2020 version of your Buhari they unveiled for you gullible Nigerians last week,” he added in a possible reference to the attached picture. “Is this the Buhari of 2015 to you? No wonder Europeans colonised us ..
“Buhari is long dead. Imagine the 2020 version of your Buhari they unveiled for you gullible Nigerians last week,” he added in a possible reference to the attached picture. “Is this the Buhari of 2015 to you? No wonder Europeans colonised us ..
with such ease.”
The post had gathered over 1,300 comments and was shared over 3,300 times as of 10 a.m. on December 8.
The comments showed that not only did the page’s followers believe that Buhari was dead, they also considered the picture to be authentic.
The post had gathered over 1,300 comments and was shared over 3,300 times as of 10 a.m. on December 8.
The comments showed that not only did the page’s followers believe that Buhari was dead, they also considered the picture to be authentic.
“The Buhari of 2015 was the best customer to hospitals. All of a sudden, this current Buhari is now as fresh and healthy as a newly born. Doesn’t really add up,” wrote Eze Miracle Arinzechukwu.
Another follower, Tochukwu Ekpa, replied: “The gullible zoologians have long lost their sense of reasoning. Even if the real Buhari who’s in a shallow grave in Sadia Arabia is still alive today, it’s not normal for an old man to get fatter and look more young than 20 years ago.
They have failed!”
“Is this person also Buhari, because I don’t understand this country anymore. How many Buhari do we have?” asked Queen Isaac Emejuru. “Is like this one is Buubuu not Buhari [sic].”
The picture appeared on Twitter in the same period.
“Is this person also Buhari, because I don’t understand this country anymore. How many Buhari do we have?” asked Queen Isaac Emejuru. “Is like this one is Buubuu not Buhari [sic].”
The picture appeared on Twitter in the same period.
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