BY: Oluwaseye Ogunsanya
Claim:
An X user claimed in a post that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was spotted heading to the mosque for Friday prayers after associating with Hausa-Fulani people inside prison.
Verdict:
False.
Full Text:
An X user, Akinwumi @Big_marvis claimed in a post that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was spotted heading to the mosque for Friday prayers after associating with Hausa-Fulani people inside prison.
screenshot of false claim with AI-generated Image
The claimant who attached an image of Kanu to the post stated that Kanu has come to understand that they are among the best people to live with in terms of social interaction.
“He also promises to share and spread Islam across Igbo land when he becomes free.” he added.
In 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment after being convicted of terrorism. The sentencing was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, who found Kanu guilty on all seven counts brought against him by the Federal Government. Subsequently, the Department of State Services (DSS) transferred him to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Sokoto where he has since been serving his term.
The claim has been recirculated here and here,
Verification:
To verify the claim and the authenticity of the image accompanying it, we conducted a reverse image search and reviewed reports and other available evidence. The search also found a report published by HumAngle here, which examined the images purportedly showing Nnamdi Kanu and concluded that they were AI-generated. The report based its assessment on analysis conducted using Decopy AI, which identified indicators consistent with AI-generated imagery.
The report summarised its findings as follows: “The fake images have misled many into believing they depict Kanu in a prison in Sokoto, Nigeria. Despite their apparent authenticity to some, the photos contain numerous signs of digital manipulation, including anatomical distortions and lack of realistic details, which have been confirmed through AI detection tools.”
Taken together, the reverse image search, the findings of HumAngle, and the AI-analysis evidence indicate that the images accompanying the claim are not authentic photographs of Nnamdi Kanu but AI-generated images. The claim is therefore false.
Conclusion:
The evidence reviewed shows that the image accompanying the claim is not authentic photographs of Nnamdi Kanu. Rather, the images were found to be AI-generated, as indicated by the analysis cited in the report published by HumAngle. The findings from the reverse image search and the available AI-detection evidence further undermine the authenticity of the images. Therefore, the claim that the images genuinely show Nnamdi Kanu is false.
