A Facebook user, Mr Chini, shared an image on October 24, 2026, claiming it was captured at an APC campaign rally in Kaduna State. The image shows a large crowd with APC flags, with the caption "Over 1 million Nigerians are in Kaduna for the APC Presidential Campaign Flag-off." The post accumulated over 173 likes, 89 comments, and nine reposts as of October 29, 2026. However, some Facebook users questioned the authenticity of the image.
The image was verified by DUBAWA, a fact-checking organization, which found several digital inconsistencies. The flags in the image appeared to be superimposed on the crowd, with no one actually holding them. Additionally, the people in the image had no distinct outfits, with all their clothes appearing similar and digitally monochromatic. These inconsistencies raised suspicions about the image's authenticity.
DUBAWA ran the image through Artificial Intelligence (AI) image detector tools, including ZeroGPT and Fake Image Detector, which showed a high probability that the image is synthetic. Furthermore, the SynthID Detector revealed a watermark indicating that OpenAI generated or edited the image. These findings suggest that the image was digitally fabricated.
The APC had flagged off its presidential campaign for President Bola Tinubu's second term in October 2026, ahead of the 2027 election. The party's official X and Facebook accounts were checked, but no similar image was found. This suggests that the image shared on Facebook was not an official campaign image.
The image was not unique to Facebook, with similar posts found on X and other Facebook pages. This indicates that the fabricated image was shared across multiple social media platforms, potentially to create a false narrative about the APC's campaign.
The fact-checking organization's findings were clear: the image is AI-generated, and the claim is false. DUBAWA's verification aimed to set the record straight and prevent false narratives ahead of the 2027 general elections. The organization's efforts highlight the importance of verifying information, especially on social media.
The incident highlights the growing concern about the use of AI-generated images in spreading misinformation. As the 2027 election approaches, it is essential for social media users to be cautious when sharing images and to verify their authenticity. DUBAWA's work demonstrates the need for fact-checking in the digital age.
Key points
- The image of the APC campaign rally in Kaduna was found to be AI-generated.
- The image was shared on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook and X.
- DUBAWA's verification aimed to prevent false narratives ahead of the 2027 general elections.
