Fact-Check: Sowore Makes Misleading Claim about Buhari and Buratai Holding Boko Haram’s Flag

BY: Oluwaseye Ogunsanya 

Claim

Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari and former chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai waving the Boko Haram Flag is treason/treasonable felony.

Verdict

Misleading! The action of Former President Muhammadu Buhari and Former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai cannot be considered a treasonable felony offence. 

Full Text

Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari and former chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai waving the Boko Haram Flag is treason/treasonable felony.

In the post, Sowore attached pictures of Buhari and Buratai holding the insurgents’ flag as well as a picture of former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and a screenshot of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Mustapha addressing reporters after him and other service chiefs and heads of security agencies met with President Bola Tinubu on Monday.

Sowore whose post has garnered over 1000 reposts and over 2000 likes made the claim in response to the treasonable offence comment made by the Chief of Defence Staff after it was observed that some #EndBadGovernance protesters in the northern region of the country were spotted waving the Russian flag.

“All of us have seen where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable. We are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey this: that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria,

“That is a treasonable offense, and it will be viewed and treated as such. So, nobody should allow himself to be used by any individual.” he added. 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has said that it has arrested some tailors suspected to be mass-producing the Russian flag in Kano State. 

The agency posted on its X handle, that the “Service has apprehended some tailors in Kano State responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area. Some of their sponsors have also been picked. An investigation is ongoing.”

Similarly, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria has denied any involvement in the usage of the European nation’s flag by some persons during the #EndBadGovernance protest attributing the use of Russian symbols by the protesters to personal choices, and adding that it does not reflect any official policy or position of the Russian government.

The #EndBadGovernance protests demonstration has entered its sixth day despite a televised broadcast by President Bola Tinubu where he called for an end to protests asking protesters to give room for dialogue.

According to its organisers, the protest is against President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the economy and poor governance, which have brought untold hardships to millions of Nigerians. Some of the demands of the protesters include the reversal of the removal of petrol subsidies and a slash in the salaries and allowances of public officials.

Premium Times reported that the demonstration began on a peaceful note on Thursday in many major cities across Nigeria but it turned violent in some leading to the imposition of curfews by the state governments. It added that in places like Abuja where the protests have been peaceful, the police have used tear gas and live bullets to disperse protesters.

The protests led to the closure of many businesses, including banks and grocery stores, on Thursday and Friday. However, many businesses opened over the weekend as the protests grew thinner on Sunday.

FactCheckAfrica worked on Sowore’s claim because of its potential to mislead the public. 

Verification

To verify the claim, FactCheckAfrica did a Google search using the keyword ‘Buhari and Buratai wave Boko Haram flag’, the result turned in a plethora of reports indicating the capture of Boko Haram. 

More specifically, TheCable had reported in 2016 about how the flag of the insurgent group was recovered after the men of Operation Lafiya Dole operating in the North East successfully captured “Camp Zero” ‎the strongest enclave of the Boko Haram terrorist sect, in the Sambisa Forest and handed it over to Former President Muhammadu Buhari by Lucky Irabor, a major general and the then theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole. 

The report added that Buhari received the flag at the year 2016 regimental dinner organised by the presidential brigade of guards but he was however, silent on the claims by Abubakar Shekau, leader of the insurgents, that his group had not been crushed.

The same report can also be found here, here and here

Conclusion 

Based on widely circulated media reports, it is clear that Sowore’s claim is misleading and the action of Former President Muhammadu Buhari and Former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai cannot be considered a treasonable felony offence. They were holding Boko Haram’s flag after Buhari received it from the then Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor following the successful capture of “Camp Zero”, ‎the strongest enclave of the Boko Haram terrorists sect, in the Sambisa Forest by men of Operation Lafiya Dole operating in the North East. 

Edited by Habeeb Adisa