A video making the rounds on social media claims that a helicopter was sighted delivering arms to Fulani herdsmen in a forest in Badagry, Lagos.
Verdict. False. The claim that the helicopter supplied arms to non-state actors in Badagry is false. The Nigerian Navy has debunked it. The helicopter was deployed for training manoeuvres. Besides, an independent analysis showed that the helicopter did not drop anything to the ground.
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Verification
In the video, the helicopter landed without dropping off or picking up any person or thing before taking off again.
Debunking the claim, the Nigerian Navy’s spokesperson, Suleman Dahun, said the helicopter was on a training mission.
Dahun refuted the claim that the helicopter landed in the bush in the Badagry area of Lagos State on Thursday, June 3 to supply arms to non-state actors. The video was shared on various social media platforms, claiming that it was supplying arms to insurgents in the area.
Mr Dahun, a commodore, confirmed to the media that there is a military training area in Magbon, Badagry.
“If we want to go for training we take permission from the Lagos control tower and fly there, land and do other manoeuvres and come back. How does that amount to carrying arms to terrorists or bandits?” he added.
He said the story was fake and should be disregarded by Nigerians.
Dahun added that some of the people around during the training area were amused by the aircraft’s manoeuvres and appreciated it.
Contrary to the claim, PRNigeria, a news medium, published that it observed that in the video, the helicopter landed without dropping off or picking up any person or thing before taking off again.
Conclusion
The claim that the helicopter supplied arms to non-state actors in Badagry is false. The Nigerian Navy has debunked it. The helicopter was deployed for training manoeuvres. Besides, an independent analysis showed the helicopter did not drop anything to the ground.
