By Eniola Amadu
Claim:
A viral video on X, has a man claiming that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now has a base in Nigeria.
Verdict:
False.
Full Text:
A viral video on X, has a man who claims that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now has a base in Nigeria. According to the speaker, he stated that the location of the FBI base is not a temporary one, but it has “come to stay”.
This claim as at the time of filing this report has been posted by several X blog handles here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, amongst others.
Additionally a user named @Kraytur3 has alleged that the FBI has confirmed its presence in Nigeria and has over 16 physical offices.
Screenshot of the claim
The claim follows the extradition of two Nigerian citizens by the FBI to the US. The extradition, according to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) X page, and confirmed by the FBI Director Kash Patel was as a result of “alleged child exploitation and sextortion”.
Verification:
To authenticate the aforementioned claim, FactCheckAfrica checked through the official website of the FBI for verification and found no published reports on such. What was rather found was the existence of attache offices known as “legats”. Legats are official FBI representatives stationed in a U.S. embassy abroad to coordinate international law enforcement and security cooperation.
According to the FBI Archive webpage, “the Legal Attaché program provides for a prompt and continuous exchange of information with foreign law enforcement and security agencies and coordination with U.S. federal law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction over the matters under investigation.”
“Our foreign-based personnel also assist foreign agencies with requests for investigative assistance in the United States to encourage reciprocal assistance in counterterrorism, criminal, and other investigative matters”, it added.
The US embassy and consulate in Nigeria also reveals that the essence and mission of the office of the legal attaché is to “establish and maintain liaison with principal law enforcement and intelligence/security services in designated foreign countries.”
These attaché offices exist only in the US embassies and or consulates.
Further checks on the FBI and the EFCC X handles revealed there was no official statement on the establishment of the FBI permanent office in Nigeria.
Additionally, no trusted media outlets both in Nigeria and in the United States (US) published relatable report(s).
Conclusion:
Based on available findings, FactCheckAfrica confirms that the FBI has no independent permanent base or 16 physical offices in Nigeria, but an office only in the US embassies to carry out diplomatic security missions.
