BY: Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho
Claim:
An image circulating on X shows the suspected mastermind of recent attacks in Plateau State who was arrested during an intelligence-led operation on September 24, 2026.
Verdict:
False.
The image shows Adamu Idris Gabdo, the Ardo of Panyam in Plateau State, whose remains were recovered by troops in October 2023. The image has been recycled and presented as that of a suspect allegedly arrested over recent attacks in Plateau State.
Full Text:
An image circulating on X claims to show the arrest of a suspected mastermind behind recent attacks in Plateau State.
The image was posted on September 24, 2026, by an X user, @DrCroc28, with the caption: “BREAKING: Suspected Mastermind of Plateau Attacks Arrested in Intelligence-Led Operation.” The post further stated that the alleged suspect was arrested on “24/9/2026.”
The post had garnered more than 14,000 views and hundreds of reposts at the time of its investigation.
Given the security situation in Plateau State and the potential of the claim to mislead the public about the identity of an alleged suspect, FactCheckAfrica subjected the image to verification.
Verification:
FactCheckAfrica conducted a reverse image search on the photograph to determine when and where it first appeared online.
The search showed that the image predates the September 2026 claim, with records tracing it to October 2023. The image was subsequently found in reports concerning Adamu Idris Gabdo, the Ardo of Panyam in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Reports from October 2023 show that Gabdo had been reported missing before the Nigerian military announced the recovery of his remains.
In a statement issued in October 2023, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) confirmed that troops had recovered the remains of Gabdo around Boi, along the Pankshin-Bauchi Road in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The military said the remains were identified as those of Ardo Adamu Idris Gabdo and were subsequently handed over to his family for burial.
This establishes that the person shown in the viral image was already dead in 2023 and could not be the person allegedly arrested in September 2026.
Further checks also found that the Nigerian Army announced the arrest of Philip Gokas, also known as Jaykimo, in November 2023 in connection with Gabdo’s murder.
According to the Army, troops of Operation Safe Haven tracked Gokas to the Ogba area of Lagos after a manhunt and arrested him at a football viewing centre.
FactWatch also reported separately that a September 24, 2026 report claimed that a suspected key figure linked to attacks in Plateau had been arrested in Mahanga, Riyom Local Government Area.
However, the report did not independently establish the identity of the suspect or provide evidence linking the suspect to the photograph being circulated on X. Therefore, the reported 2026 arrest cannot be used to authenticate the photograph.
Conclusion:
The image circulating on X does not show a suspect arrested over recent attacks in Plateau State.
Fact-Check Africa found that the photograph dates back to 2023 and shows Adamu Idris Gabdo, the Ardo of Panyam, whose remains were recovered by Operation Safe Haven in October 2023.
Although a report in September 2026 claimed that a suspected key figure behind attacks in Plateau had been arrested, there is no credible evidence establishing that the man in the viral photograph was that suspect.
