Fact Check: Viral TikTok Video Claiming CBN’s Benin Branch on Fire Is False

Fact Check: Viral TikTok Video Claiming CBN’s Benin Branch on Fire Is False

Claim: A TikTok account Okey Dubai (@okeydubai1), shared a video of a building on fire that is alleged to be the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in Benin, Edo State.

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Verdict

The fire incident took place at Next Cash and Carry complex in Abuja back in 2021 and not the CBN branch building in Benin, Edo State. The claim is false.

Fake CBN building burning.
A screenshot of the video on TikTok. Photo source: @okeydubai1
Source: TikTok

Full Text

On Wednesday, February 8, amid the naira scarcity that has stretched many Nigerians thin, a TikTok account Okey Dubai (@okeydubai1), shared a video of a fire burning from a building with a thick pillar of smoke as passersby wailed at the situation. The TikToker alleged that the incident was happening live at the Central Bank Branch in Benin State. In the clip, a voice behind the camera could be heard mourning the hopeless situation.

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The video was captioned alongside the statement:

“Central Bank of Nigeria, Benin on fire. It’s happening live today. 8/2/2023.”

Hours after the video was shared, it went viral. As of the time of writing this report, it has had 14,000 shares with over 17,000 likes. This is understandable as news about the apex bank, naira designs, bank transfers, and cash have been trending lately since the CBN announced the phasing out old N1000, N500, and N200 notes.

The problem of naira scarcity began after people had deposited their cash in line with the first January 31 deadline, only to be told it had been extended, making many scrambles for whatever new notes were in circulation.

The time sensitivity of the video stirred massive reactions from people on TikTok. While some people felt it was accurate information and bashed CBN for the scarcity of naira, others point out that the video was from another event unconnected with the apex bank branch in

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A TikToker, Hauwa (@hauwaidris33), argued that the location was not in Benin city but in Abuja:

“This one is next cash and carry Abuja, not Benin.”
Fake video on CBN.
A screenshot of the comment. Photo source: @okeydubai1
Source: TikTok

Those who countered the video were lost in the din of people who ran with it as the false description fitted their sentiments.

User (@user9249885215630) = believed the fire was an act of revolt against the cashless policy of the apex bank:

“It's wartime. Let them know CBN. ABUJA IS NEXT.”
Fake video on CBN.
A screenshot of another comment. Photo source: @okeydubai1
Source: TikTok

On the other hand, @Splash had a comical and subtle reaction that pointed to the cash scarcity in the country. The TikToker said:

“Make person no burn my money o.”
Fake CBN building.
Another screenshot of the building. Photo source: @okeydubai1
Source: TikTok

Timeline of issues surrounding the redesign of N1000, N500, and N200 notes

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Claims as such have the potential to trigger nationwide crises based on the hardship Nigerians are passing through due to naira scarcity.

Verification

To track the earliest appearance of the alleged video online, DUBAWA employed the InVID video verification tool. Frames of the footage were collected, and a Google reverse image was conducted on some of them. The analysis results reveal the video was first shared by a YouTube page, My Wisdom TV - Divine Grace. This version was shared in 2019 without the layered words on the TikTok version. It had the same wailing voice, “Oh my God!” as in the TikTok video, but the narrative around it was entirely different.

The YouTube version, apparently the original version, captioned the video: “Next cash and carry owned by Peter Obi is on fire, trending in Abuja,” showing moments the Next Cash and Carry complex was ravaged by fire in 2021, Abuja.

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Below are screenshots that show similarities in both videos. Note that what separates the original from the fake are the imposed words.

Naira scarcity/fake chaos
A collage of screenshots. Fake (left). Original (right). Photo source: TikTok, @mywisdomtv-divinegrace
Source: Youtube

Google Search was also used to find similar videos of the fire incident online. Using the keywords “next cash and carry fire,” the result brought up many news items and YouTube videos of the fire. Following a Channels TV News YouTube link, a similar video popped up. Many elements of similarities, like the Next Cash and Carry sign, were noticeable in the video.

Next Cash and Carry.
A screenshot of Google search. Photo source: Google
Source: UGC

Next Cash and Carry.
A screenshot of ChannelsTV report on the fire that ravaged the Next Cash and Carry store in Abuja. Photo source: Channels TV
Source: UGC

Several other news platforms like the Vanguard, People’s Gazette, and BBC News all reported that the event occurred in Abuja and was at Next Cash and Carry building.

Next Cash and Carry.
A screenshot of the news on Vanguard. Photo source: Vanguard
Source: UGC

Next Cash and Carry
A screenshot of BBC pidgin report. Photo source: BBC
Source: UGC

Google Maps was also employed to pick out similar elements in the video and compare them to the satellite view of the event scene. The result revealed that the moving vehicle shooting the video was on Ahmadu Bellow Way opposite the Next Cash and Carry building.

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Fake CBN video.
A satellite area view of the road leading to Next Cash and Carry. Photo source: CBN
Source: UGC

Below is another screenshot that captured the road network around the mall. A similar roundabout, as seen in the video, is circled in red:

Fake CBN video
Another view of the area around Next Cash and Carry. Photo source: Google
Source: UGC

A collage screenshot of the alleged video and the satellite image shows they both had a fence beside the road leading to the scene, which was identified as Ahmadu Bello Way.

Fake video on CBN.
Screenshots showing the fence. Photo source: @okeydubia1, Google
Source: TikTok

Google geo-location further revealed the billboard that was at the junction. Despite the fact that they both have different banners, the placement and structure of the billboard remained the same.

Fake CBN video.
A collage of screenshots taken from the video and Google Maps. Photo source: @okeydubai1, Google
Source: TikTok

While the claimant alleged that the Benin CBN fire took place on February 8, 2022, the version of the original video said otherwise and was shared in 2021.

Conclusion

The alleged video used by a TiKtok user to depict a recent fire outbreak at the CBN branch in Benin, Edo state, is false. The video depicts moments when the Next Cash and Carry shopping complex was ravaged by a fire incident in Abuja in 2021.

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The researcher produced this fact check per the Dubawa 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship in partnership with Legit.ng to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Joseph Omotayo avatar

Joseph Omotayo (HOD Human-Interest) Joseph Omotayo has been writing for the human interest desk since 2019 and is currently the head of the desk. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, with a degree in Literature in English in 2016. He once worked for Afridiaspora, OlisaTV & CLR. He is a 2022/2023 Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking fellow. He can be reached via: joseph.omotayo@corp.legit.ng.