FactCheck: Fabricated content! Unrelated image used to depict arrest of ‘Spiderman’ by Police 

BY: Mustapha Lawal

Claim: 

Unidentified Protester dressed in Spiderman costume arrested during #EndBadGovernance protest. 

Verdict: 

False! The image attributed to the arrest is from a comedy skit existing online before the protest. 

Full text: 

An X (formerly Twitter) user with the handle @sweetsixtien claimed with a before and after photo post that an unidentified protester dressed in the movie character “Spiderman” costume, was arrested by the police. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot of the post ||FactCheckAfrica 

The post calling for help in getting the acclaimed arrested person released reads, “Wahala! Police don arrest Spider Man oo 😭 how we go take release am? 💔 Who knows his identity?? Lawyers abeg help ooo. #EndBadGovernancelnNigeria”

As of the time of filing this report, the post has already garnered over 1,600 views with a string of comments with mixed feelings from other users making comic and worried statements in reaction to the post. 

FactCheckAfrica decided to work on this report due to the widespread fabrication of stories with images and video that were rampant during the protest and the effect of such misinformation in escalating and painting the event of the protest. 

Verification: 

FactCheckAfrica subjected the two images contained in the post to a reverse image search for Verification. We found that the image used to represent the ‘before’ hasn’t existed online until today. 

However, the image showing the arrest of the Protester is a screenshot from a comedy skit that existed online before the protest. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot of the Reverse Image Search || FactCheckAfrica 

Conclusion:

FactCheckAfrica found the claim to be fabricated. The image used in representing the arrest of the unidentified person in Spiderman costume is unrelated to the protest. It is from a comedy content on social media.