BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim:
A viral video shows former US President Donald Trump announcing his plans to help the Igbo people of Biafra gain independence from Nigeria.
Verdict:
False! The video is AI-generated and was adapted from an original 2021 CNBC clip where Trump spoke about the January 6 Capitol riot.
Full Text:
A widely circulated video on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) claims that former US President Donald Trump vowed to support the secession of Biafra from Nigeria. “After I finish with the Ukraine war in Russia, I will turn to Nigeria to liberate the Igbo people of Biafra,” Trump appears to say in the clip
The clip has been shared thousands of times by pages and accounts that promote pro-Biafra narratives, with captions suggesting that Trump promised to “liberate” the Igbo people after resolving the Russia-Ukraine war.
Screenshot of the post
The video was posted by a page called “Republicans of United States of Biafra,” which regularly shares content in support of the Biafran secessionist movement. It has since gained significant traction among pro-Biafra groups, with some users asserting that Trump’s supposed statement is proof of US support for their cause.
Biafra separatists have long sought to establish an independent state in southeastern Nigeria, a demand that led to a civil war between 1967 and 1970. The movement remains active, with figures like Simon Ekpa and Nnamdi Kanu at its forefront, though both have faced legal action. Ekpa was arrested in Finland for allegedly inciting violence, while Kanu is currently on trial in Nigeria after been extradited from Kenya.
Verification:
A closer examination of the viral video reveals several inconsistencies. The footage contains visible defects around Trump’s mouth and chin, which are telltale signs of AI-generated manipulation. Additionally, the clip bears a watermark from a website that allows users to create synthetic videos featuring well-known figures
Further analysis by FactCheckAfrica traced the original footage to a January 14, 2021 video published by CNBC, where Trump addressed the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. At no point in the speech did he mention Nigeria or Biafra. A side-by-side comparison of the original CNBC clip and the AI-generated version confirms that the latter was digitally altered to insert a fabricated statement.
Caption: Comparison screenshots showing the AI-generated video (left) and the 2021 CNBC video on YouTube
This is not the first time misinformation about foreign support for Biafra has surfaced. Pro-secessionist activists have previously spread false claims that world leaders endorsed their cause, often relying on manipulated videos or misleading news reports. Here are some previous instances: linked to France President and President Trump in the past.
Conclusion:
The claim that Donald Trump announced plans to “liberate” Biafra is entirely false. The video is AI-generated and was manipulated from an unrelated CNBC interview in 2021.
